Hello everyone! Happy Tuesday or happy whatever-day-you’re-reading-this.😊
I did a poll on my Instagram (@ahimsa.blog) asking my followers which topic they would like to see here next, and the winner was: sustainable fashion!
I have always been curious about the effects of my clothes buying habits. I found a great quiz on ThredUp.com, an online consignment and thrift store, that could tell me exactly that. Here is the link if you’d like to take it yourself -> Fashion Footprint Calculator
Also, I would just like to point out that since ThredUp is an online thrift store, their quiz is a marketing tool used to make consumers recognize their (potentially high) fashion footprint, and in turn buy more second-hand clothing, perhaps from ThredUp. Please keep that in mind.
Here are the questions that determine your fashion footprint according to this quiz, and my answers to them. I based my answers on my behaviors within the past 12 months.
Q: How often do you buy clothing? (New and used)
A: 10 times per year
In the past year, I’ve bought approximately 10 items of clothing. This doesn’t count anything that I received as a gift or hand-me-downs.
Q: How many items of clothing do you buy in a year?
A: 4 tops, 2 bottoms, 1 outerwear, 1 dress
Q: How do you purchase your clothing?
A: 80% in-store, 20% online
To be honest, I’ve never been keen on online shopping. I prefer to try clothes on in-store to ensure they fit and look right the first time.
Q: What percent of clothing purchases do you return?
A: 7%
I hate the hassle of returning clothes! It’s rarely worth the drive back to the store or post-office for me. I find a way to make it work, donate it, or give it to a friend.
Q: What percentage of your clothing purchases are:
A: Second hand- 20%
From sustainable brands- 10%
Unfortunately, I would like to improve upon this answer, but it is completely truthful.
Q: How many clothing items do you rent per year?
A: 0
I have never tried renting clothing. Personally, it is not something I am interested in. I would maybe consider it for pieces of clothing I would only wear once, such as a formal gown, or costume.
Q: How many loads of laundry do you do per month?
A: 5
This is regarding the loads of laundry I do that are strictly clothing to get a true picture of my fashion footprint. I only launder my clothes once a week, all in the same load.
Q: Washing (How do you wash your clothes?)
A: Cold wash only, machine dry only
I wash my clothes in cold water as I think that it is supposed to be better for them. (Maybe. I’m definitely no laundry expert, considering I throw all types of clothing into the wash at the same time.) This question made me think about my use of the dryer. I could definitely be air drying or at least partially air drying my clothes.
Q: How many items do you dry clean per month?
A: 0
Can’t say I’ve ever had that done.
Q: How many items do you repair each year?
A: 10
I’m proud to say that I have recently started mending my own clothes. I’m not great at sewing, but it’s a super easy and quick way to prevent having to throw out an article of clothing. Invest in a small sewing kit- it will save you money in the long run.
Q: How do you dispose of clothing?
A: 80% sell or donate, 20% trash
I only throw out clothing if it absolutely cannot be salvaged. The clothing donation center is only a short walk away from me, so I will happily donate my clothing whenever I want to de-clutter.
So! Here are my results:
I am very happy with my results, but honestly, I am not surprised by them. I have never considered myself to be someone who buys clothing for fun. I enjoy fashion, but I like to make use of what I have rather than buying something new. I don’t feel comfortable spending my money on clothing that I don’t need. Also, I am currently in the midst of a no-buy challenge, so for ¼ of the year I took into consideration, I bought nothing at all. You can read my blog post about my no-buy year so far here.
However, this quiz did help me recognize some ways in which I could reduce my fashion footprint, such as buying from sustainable brands, air-drying my clothes, and trying out a clothing rental service. There is always room for improvement! Change starts with you, so take the quiz and see how you measure up.
Thanks for reading!
-Skylar
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