Clothing is a significant contributor to waste, with the average American throwing away 65 pounds of clothes and textiles per year. In addition to being wasteful, clothing that is thrown away ends up in landfills where it will stay for centuries. Luckily, there are ways to minimize your impact on the environment with your wardrobe.
When you’re choosing clothing made from natural fibers such as cotton or wool, remember that they’ll last longer and be more comfortable if you don’t wash them too often. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon should be washed after every few wears. If you are looking for clothing made from natural materials but also want a fabric that will last through frequent wearings, try wool blends or hemp blends like those found at http://www.eco-fabricsdirect.com/.
Another way to reduce waste is by buying secondhand clothing at thrift stores or consignment shops instead of new clothes at regular stores—not only does this reduce the amount of new material needed for manufacturing (and therefore reduces the cost), but it also saves space in landfills by reusing old material instead of creating new items from scratch.