We could start with the numbers — the carbon cost of a cotton T-shirt, the litres of water a single pair of jeans drinks — but you've read those. Instead, this is a practical guide. A few small changes, ordered by how much friction they add to your life.
§011. Buy one thing, slowly
The single most sustainable thing you can do is to buy less, and to buy better. That doesn't mean buying expensive. It means giving yourself permission to leave the shop without a purchase. The piece you come back for in two weeks is the piece worth buying.
§022. Learn to read a care label
Cold wash. Always. The single biggest energy cost in a garment's life is the hot wash that follows the cold wash you should have done. Air-dry when you can. Wash less often than you think you should — denim, in particular, likes a rest.
§033. Repair is a love language
Visible mending, sashiko, French seams, a simple patch on a knee. The good ateliers in your city are usually a Google search away. The good ones will teach you, too. There is nothing more sustainable than a piece you've worn for fifteen years and intend to wear for fifteen more.
§044. The secondhand first rule
Before you buy new — for any piece over a certain price — check Vinted, Depop, your local consignment store, the charity shop on the high street. The piece you find will be the one that finds you, and it'll cost half the price and twice the character.
"The piece you come back for in two weeks is the piece worth buying."
— Anna Wong
