It's Pretty, But It Burns

I hear from moms all the time that the two biggest reasons they buy conventional clothing from large retailers are that the clothing is inexpensive and easily accessible. These are two very valid points, but at what cost to the environment and your health?

I have offered these suggestions to moms who are on the fence about going green with clothing purchases:

• Buy less, and buy quality. Instead of buying 7 pairs of pajamas for your child at a large retailer, could you buy 3 pairs of organic jams that are a little bit big and have your child wear them 2-3 times before washing? Washing 7 pairs of p.j.s each week is not so green either, so you get a two-for-one green deal by purchasing and washing fewer pairs of snugglies.
• Purchase gently used items. For children's everyday clothes, could you purchase gently used items instead of "brand new"? Purchasing gently used items is less expensive than new, so not only are you getting more bang for your buck, but you are also consuming less stuff because the clothing is being reused.
• Give and receive hand-me downs. Free, cute stuff. Who could ask for more? And pay it forward...give your gently used items to shelters and women's homes - they've got kids to clothe too!
• Mend holes and reattach buttons. Are you guilty of buying your child new pants because the old ones have holes in the knees, but are otherwise in good condition? You can either buy iron-on patches for knees, or, get creative and take a pair of pants your child has outgrown and use the material to create knee patches. You really don't have to be able to sew that well, and you don't even need a sewing machine. Okay, hand-stitching will take a bit longer, but it's a skill worth learning anyway.
• Don't give into the buy, buy, buy mentality! Did you ever wonder why trends change every season? Certainly, some creative folks out there enjoy the change in styles, purely from an aesthetic standpoint, but there really is more to it. New styles come out regularly so we all THINK we need to look updated and hip. And that compels us to spend lots of money. Let's get real here - I enjoy fashion just as much as the next woman, but what you wear does NOT define your status or worth. You can look sharp and put-together on a budget and with a green conscience. Really.

If none of these suggestions are compelling to you, I implore you to consider the environmental impact, and that of your health. Can you really afford to keep buying conventional clothing? Check out this very short YouTube video and decide for yourself.