15 Easy Ways to Be a Conscious Consumer

Your Beginner’s Guide to Being a Conscious CONSUMER!

Are you thinking of being a conscious consumer?

OMG, I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!

Let’s be honest – how many times have you repeated this statement?

I’ll go first! Every time I find myself staring at the mountain of clothes in front of me.

Before embracing the minimalist mindset, I had an urge to buy new items and pile them in my closet. I didn’t consider the quality or whether it was from an ethical brand. How was the item made? What raw materials were used? And most importantly, would I be wearing it for a long time?

Repeating outfits, swapping clothes, and investing in secondhand clothes used to be looked down upon. This mentality led people to buy unnecessary clothes, whether needed or not.

And the credit goes to FAST FASHION!

In the early 2000’s a concept called Fast Fashion took the industry by storm, the aim was to take the runway fashion to consumers in a jiffy. The plan was simple: shortlist the best pieces from the collection, replicate the designs in-house, and sell them to the end consumer. Sounds easy, right? But there’s a catch – the speed and the price. And all of this came at a cost! The cost is detrimental and irreversible harm to our environment, resources, and garment workers. The rise in overproduction/consumption also led to clothes being thrown away in landfills.

ON AN AVERAGE 60% OF CLOTHING IS THROWN AWAY BY CONSUMERS IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THEIR PURCHASE.

Finally, in 2020, I had a revelation. Did I need these many clothes? What made me think that I didn’t have enough? And like a thunderbolt, it struck me – this narrative has been drilled for a long time by companies, brands, social media influencers, and advertisements.

And how do you break free from this conditioning, you ask? It is by becoming mindful and conscious of our consumption behavior.

WHAT IS CONSCIOUS CONSUMPTION?

“Conscious consumption is an umbrella term that simply means engaging in the economy with more awareness of how your consumption impacts society at large. Shopping sustainably, with the intent to preserve the environment, is one way to consume more consciously.”

The New York Times

In simple words, conscious consumers consider the environmental, ecological, and social impact while making purchases. They support brands that have similar ethical values as theirs. These brands don’t compromise the well-being of the planet and their workers. They don’t mass produce, promote slow fashion, buy materials from certified corporations, avoid child labor, and pay their workers fair wages. 

15 easy ways to become A CONSCIOUS CONSUMER:

1. START SMALL:

The best and easiest way to be a conscious consumer is to start small. The journey towards mindful consumption can become overwhelming at times. To curb that, decide on one thing and stick to that for at least a month then move along.

WTF TIPS: Start with decluttering your wardrobe. Take stock of all the items and segregate them into 3 piles:

This will be helpful when you shop the next time. You will be able to buy whatever matches your existing wardrobe.

2. CHOOSE QUALITY OVER QUANTITY:

A conscious shopper knows the power of quality products. It’s always better to pay a little extra and buy a quality product that will last longer. 

WTF TIPS: Invest in good quality jackets/ coats, bags, and shoes. These items are usually season-less and can last longer if taken care of.

3. READ LABELS:

Learning to read labels is a game changer. Just like food products, knowing the composition of the materials will help you decide if it’s worth your money. This is extremely helpful if you want to invest in sustainable products. 

WTF TIPS: Go through your wardrobe to check the fabrics. Next, read how the fabric is made. Is the fabric environmentally friendly? Does it require chemical dyes?

4. AVOID IMPULSE BUYING:

The hardest habit to work on is impulse buying. We are constantly bombarded with sales, offers, and promo codes that urge us to buy new items. Impulse buying often results in unnecessary purchases. These items sit in the closet for years or land in landfills.

WTF TIPS: The best tip to avoid impulse buying is to let the items sit in your cart for a whole day. This gives you time to ask if you need this or is just an impulse buy.

5. RECYCLE ITEMS:

Are you thinking of throwing away old clothes? Don’t! Giving your clothes a second life is a wonderful way of caring for the environment. There are ways to prevent your clothes from ending up in a landfill! Instead, you can:

1. Donate
2. Upcycle
3. Sell

WTF TIPS: You can establish an annual donation routine to give your old clothes a second life. This way, they can be used by someone who genuinely needs them! You can also explore how to upcycle your old clothes into new ones. For example, you can cut an old T-shirt and wear it as a crop top.

6. ASK QUESTIONS TO BRANDS:

Voicing your concerns directly to the brand is a good way to start your conscious journey. If there’s a brand you want to invest in, but need clarity before buying! Ask questions about their manufacturing process, raw materials, and dyes used. Most ethical brands are more than happy to answer your queries. 

WTF TIPS: You can find brands active on social media. Use it to your advantage. Drop them a DM or comment on their posts to clear your query.

7. MEND/REPAIR OLD CLOTHES:

Have you seen a tear or lost a button? Mend it, before tossing it! Use your creative streak to find ways to repair your clothes. Learning basic stitching techniques will always come in handy. This is also a good step in being a conscious consumer.

WTF TIPS: YouTube and Instagram are filled with channels that show you new and creative ways to repair old clothes. Follow them and get inspired!

8. EMBRACE MINIMALISM:

Hail Marie Kondo to make minimalism chic again! Minimalist fashion is to have a limited amount of clothes in your wardrobe that feel right and bring joy. This mindful approach will help you develop your sense of style, instead of jumping into the latest trends. 

WTF TIPS: There’s no right number of clothes for a minimalist wardrobe. You can decide what works for you. The best tip is to invest in versatile pieces.

9. INVEST IN TIMELESS PIECES:

One of our favorite quotes is “Buy Less, Choose Well, Make It Last” by Vivienne Westwood. Jumping onto every latest trend is slowly losing its charm. These items have a shorter shelf life and vanish when a new trend crops up. Instead, buy classic pieces that are season-less and timeless. 

WTF TIPS: Some of the best basics to invest in are as follows:

1. A pair of blue denims
2. A black, white and a grey T-shirt.
3. A tan or nude footwear
4. A structured tote 

10. RESEARCH ABOUT BRANDS:

Use your monetary power to invest in brands that align with your values and ethics. Before purchasing, visit their website and read about them. There are a lot of brands that greenwash consumers into thinking that they are sustainable and ethical. Use your sleuth skills to investigate and make an informed decision.

WTF TIPS: The About Us page of brands provides information on their values, ethics, artisans, and sustainability goals. 

11. THINK ABOUT PRODUCT PROCESS:

Before purchasing any new clothes, think about the whole product process. You can begin it by asking these questions:

1. What is this item made of? 
2. Where was this made? 
3. Were the workers treated and paid fairly?
4. Will this go with my existing wardrobe?
5. How will I discard this item?

Thinking about a product’s lifespan will help you make better purchases.

WTF TIPS: Always shop with an end in your mind. If you think an item will be discarded in a year it’s better to avoid buying it.

12. REPEAT OUTFITS:

It’s socially conditioned to us that repeating outfits is not cool! That’s not true at all. It’s always cool to think about the planet first. A conscious consumer doesn’t give in to narratives made up by fast fashion brands to increase their sales. Be a proud outfit repeater! 

WTF TIPS: Before buying any new clothing, look at your wardrobe and see if this new item can be matched with more than 3 existing items. The best way to repeat outfits is to add accessories.

13. BUY SECOND-HAND OR RENT:

The secondhand apparel market will rise at 11.2% CAGR between 2021 and 2031 – Future Marketing Insights.

Investing in vintage finds is a great way to make your wardrobe spicy.  We can help the planet by not wasting its resources. If there is any item you won’t be wearing more than once try renting it, instead of purchasing!

WTF TIPS: Online Thrift Stores have a great collection of items from different places.

14. SWAP WITH FRIENDS:

Swapping clothes with friends is a fun activity. Set up a day, bring all the clothes you don’t wear anymore, and swap with your friends.

WTF TIPS: Always swap with people you know about their hygiene behavior. Always remember to wash the clothes before wearing them!

15. EDUCATE YOURSELF:

The only way you can become a conscious consumer is to educate yourself with the facts. Follow bloggers and activists who try to bring the facts to the public.

WTF TIPS: There are free courses online that help you understand how bad the fast fashion industry is for our planet. Try enrolling in them!

Fashion production makes up 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions, dries up water sources, and pollutes rivers and streams. These appalling statistics should be enough to evoke a change within us. It’s high time we work on our mindless consumption habits and do what feels best to us to take care of our beautiful planet and its resources. 

Remember, there’s a power in collective efforts that will bring a change. Also, the most sustainable item is already in your wardrobe. We hope these tips help you begin your journey towards becoming a mindful and grateful consumer!