Fall is here with crisp, sunny days and I’ve suddenly got the urge to purge. What better place to start than my clothes closet? “Out with the old, in with the new” used to be my fall mantra. This year I’m questioning how much new I really need, and, if I do buy new clothes, how that will work with my desire to live a more sustainable life. As I thought about it I was transported back to some basic tenets of environmentalism: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Reduce:

I’ve always thought men had it easy in the fashion department. Two pairs of pants, a sports coat or jacket, some shirts and tees, a sweater or vest, and two pairs of shoes, one for work and one for relaxation and they are set. Women on the other hand…well just look how we shop for clothes. We tend to buy items one or two at a time because 1) it’s on sale and 2) we imagine how good it will look on us in a particular setting. Our new purchases may not sync with the clothes we have crammed in our closets. We can wind up with a lot of orphans, clothes that don’t go with anything we own, so we go shopping again to find a match. Expensive, and exhausting!

Try this instead. Pick a day, eat a good breakfast, put on some perky music and pull everything out of your closet, laying it on the bed by categories, shirts with shirts, dresses with dresses, etc. Immediately, sort out anything you haven’t worn for a year, or no more than two. Get rid of anything that doesn’t fit, is stained or damaged beyond repair, or doesn’t make you feel fabulous. Exception, you are allowed to keep a minimum number of comfortable, but less than classy, clothes for working around the house or garden. I blush to confess I apparently have a thing for socks, having counted over three-dozen pair. Men, you aren’t off the hook here either. How many of your ties do you actually wear?

What you now have left is the basis of a wardrobe, a clothing system that allows you to dress easily and attractively for all occasions. Note where you have gaps and make a list of clothing to fill out your wardrobe. Be very specific about the item and color. By the way, knowing what colors look best on you can be a real time and money saver and will keep you from a lot of “but it’s on sale” mistakes. You want to have a mix and match wardrobe that allows you to be flexible and creative. Sure one funky dress, or pair of shoes is fine, but an entire closet of mismatched clothes can drive you crazy

When it comes to acquiring clothing what are the sustainability issues to consider? One, is the type of fabric from which the garment is constructed. The second issue is where, and under what circumstances, the garment is produced. Normally, you’d think natural fibers, such as cotton, silk, linen and wool would be the best choices. Think again. Fifty percent of all the agricultural chemicals used in the U.S. are used to grow conventional cotton. A pair of jeans requires three-quarters of a pound of fertilizer and pesticides. Sheep, grown for their wool, are dipped in toxic insecticides to kill lice and sometimes are subjected to a painful process called mulesing, where a patch of skin is cut away near their tail to prevent blowfly infection. Silk worms are typically boiled in the process of unwrapping the cocoon, and silk primarily comes from Asia where it is more difficult to track the production and labor process. Heavy metals are used in tanning leather, which ultimately are washed into our water systems, as are the dyes used to color fabric and leather. And do we even want to go into how animals are raised on factory farms? These are all very personal decisions and by becoming more informed you can make the decision that best fits your values. As I mentioned in an earlier entry, each choice has some environmental cost.

Synthetics, like polyester and nylon, are spun ultimately from oil. Who would have dreamed that one up? DuPont scientists, apparently, and now millions of gallons of oil are converted yearly into “cheap” clothing.

What about organically raised fibers? Organic cotton uses less chemicals, but still requires an enormous amount of water to process and produce fiber. Makes the humble tee shirt seem pretty special. Hemp and bamboo use much less fertilizer and pesticides and are rapidly renewable. I bought a pair of bamboo socks (yes, socks!) locally last year and they are among the softest and most comfortable pair I’ve ever owned. Organically produced, cotton, wool, linen, hemp, soy and bamboo are among the more eco-friendly choices being used in the clothing business today and are getting easier to find. Shoes are being made of recycled rubber, cork, hemp, and jeans and are being dyed with vegetable dyes. You can now buy sneakers that do not contain polyvinyl choloride (PVC), made by some of the big names, such as Nike and Addidas.

Do you like to sew? Good news. There are online sources for organic fabric made with natural dyes. (See “Resources and Inspirations”).

Have you looked at your clothing labels lately? Find any that say “made in the USA”? Most of our clothes have been outsourced thousands of miles away. Why not support local designers and manufacturers, not just in the U.S., but also in New York State, or in our local region. We are blessed with many small farmers who raise sheep, angora rabbits, and even alpacas. Look for notices of open hoses or holiday fairs and patronize our local producers.

Our “cheap” clothing often comes with a high human cost, such as the use of child labor, and sweatshop conditions, exposing workers to long hours and toxic chemicals, for poverty wages. Sweatshops have even been found in NYC and LA. A “fair trade” label is one of the few ways you can tell that clothing was produced under fair working conditions and that workers were paid a decent wage. Fair trade producers also attempt to avoid using toxic chemicals and unsustainable resources.

Reuse:

Before you toss your wardrobe “losers” consider whether they simply need a small repair, a shorter hem, or a net set of buttons. If you don’t sew, trade services with a sewing friend, or take them to a professional who does alterations. Before you get rid of those shoes, do they just need a new pair of heels, or a good polish? Ask yourself, do I need something new or can I repurpose something I now own? Use up what you have on hand, rather than buying new. If you must buy new, think quality, not quantity.

If you’re the creative sort, design and sew your own earth-friendly creations out of clothing that’s on hand. Old wool sweaters can be felted and made into hats, vests and bags. A piece of fabric from a stained dress can be made into a scarf. Worn out sneakers can be dyed or painted with fabric paint. Wool can be cut into strips to make hand-hooked rugs. Let your imagination rip.

Recycle:

What to do with all those clothes that no longer fit or fit your wardrobe? Have a garage sale, take them to a consignment shop, or donate them to a charitable organization such as The Impossible Dream. If the clothing is in really poor shape, and cannot be repurposed, junk it. Have a clothing exchange party with your friends. We often keep items that are rarely worn because we’ve invested money in them. Even though they don’t look good on us, on someone else they may be terrific.

Buying used or vintage clothing is one of the more earth friendly things you can do. These clothes should carry labels that say, “No new resources were used in these clothes.” You’d be amazed what you can find in second hand shops. Last year I saw a men’s cashmere coat at Impossible Dream that looked barely worn and was selling for the unbelievable price of $25.00. Designers are even getting into the act, repurposing used clothing into new creations.

How is this green? Reducing, reusing and recycling clothing removes tons of toxic chemicals, pollutants, and dyes from our air and water. Wearing organic clothes reduces the amount of toxins in contact with your skin and your lungs.

Your turn: Share your ideas for reducing your fashion footprint.

Resources and inspirations:

“Ready, Set, Green: Eight Weeks to Modern Eco-Living,” by Graham Hill and Meaghan O’Neill.

www.nosweatapparel.com - 100% union made apparel.

www.thegreenloop.com - Organic clothing.

www.smartwool.com - Comfortable, durable, and odor-free wool apparel.

www.nearseanaturals.com - Organic fabrics, notions, and yarns. Buttons made from natural-fall antlers, tagua nut, coconut, bamboo, glass and wood.

www.tenthousandvillages.com - Fair-trade jewelry, home décor, gifts, etc. from 130 artisan groups around the world.

www.simpleshoes.com - Eco-friendly shoes.

Next week: Have a green Halloween.