1.] Wear Vintage!
This shouldn't come as a surprise (hehe) and I'm not telling you wearing vintage will make your wardrobe more eco friendly just because I am a purveyor of vintage goods...wearing vintage DOES make you more eco friendly because you are recycling clothing! Some fabulous places to buy vintage: Etsy, Ebay, and Adorevintage (*wink*)
2.] Shop at second hand or consignment shops
If vintage isn't your thing (my heart just broke a little) you can still be green by shopping for modern day fashions at consignment shops like Crossroads Trading, Buffalo Exchange, and Wasteland. Check YELP to find out what consignment shops are in your area.
3.] It's ok to be a little dirty
Washing your clothes too often shortens the life of the garment not to mention wastes a ton of water and energy. Unless you ran a marathon in that little black dress you wore to dinner, just hang it by an open window with a spritz of linen spray (I love lavender or cotton scents) to let it air out and then store it back in your closet. After a few wears then by all means wash it.
4.] Your clothes should chill
Wash everything in cold water, saves energy (and lower gas bill, hurrah!) If you must use hot water, opt for the Warm/Cold option.
5.] Green up your laundry detergent
Eco friendly laundry is sometimes very expensive, so a simple (and cheap) way to cut down on using so much of the chemical laden detergent is to cut the amount you use in half and add some good old baking soda to the mix. If you're not counting your pennies, here's a fantastic review of 6 Green Laundry Detergents
6.] Avoid the Dry Cleaners
Ok, I'm kind of guilty of using the dry cleaners, but I only take delicate vintage dresses I can't clean on my own to the cleaners. Otherwise, most of items that say "Dry Clean Only" I handwash in my bathtub and hang in my windows to dry.
7.] Fix it first before you ditch it
If a dress has a couple tears here and there or a stain, instead of ditching it, have it altered. If your shoes are looking a bit worn in, take it to a cobbler and have them fixed instead of buying new ones. If your handbag strap broke, get it stitched back on.
8.] Buy clothing really love and skip the fashion fads
If you buy clothing you really love, you are more likely to wear it longer and take better care of it. There was that harem pant phase and it seemed like every mainstream shop was carrying their version of them, I just knew it wasn't for me (not to mention they're very unflattering on almost everyone), so I said "thanks fashion world, but no thanks". Buy what you love and skip the trends. The Earth and your wallet will thank you.
9.] Shop Greener
Bring your own bags or say "No bag needed" when you shop. Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads Trading has a fantastic little system when you say "no" to a bag. You get a little token instead (worth 5 cents) that goes toward a charity they support.
10.] Green your closet + storage
Stop using metal hangers. They're ugly anyway. Use plastic hangers so if you need to, you can recycle them later on or donate to a thrift shop. You can also check Craigslist to see if any stores are getting rid of their hangers instead of buying new ones. Use recycled furniture to store your clothing and accessories. I use vintage travel cases to store my jewelry and all the dressers in my house were flea market or Craigslist finds.
SPECIALS ALERT: Save 20% OFF your purchase at Adorevintage.com by entering "EARTHDAY" at checkout! (Until 4.29.2011)
