Clothes in a circular wardrobe aren't only bought, worn, and then thrown away. Rather, they are integrated into a "closed-loop" system. This means embracing in fashion which is recycled, up-cycled, and repaired. The idea is to extend the life of each item and lessen the impact it has on the environment. As consumers are adopting this approach this will also push the industry to minimise the pressure on production and work towards responsible manufacturing. There needs to be an increase in the use of end-of-life products as raw materials and replace the linear take-make-waste paradigm. But, how can you do that?

Are you loving the new statement 'ensemble', the 'uber-glam' jewellery or the new 'IT' bag you just scrolled on your Instagram feed? They are certainly quite stylish but won't it be nicer if they were also sustainable too?

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself before making a purchase to become a 'Green-fashion warrior'.

1. Audit Your Wardrobe: First, have a look and take out all your clothes that are not used or needed. Sort them into different sections, such as those to be recycled, restyled, donated or used for other purposes. Try and always keep pieces you enjoy wearing.
2. Educate Yourself on Materials: Before buying clothes, you should be aware of the kind of materials you are choosing to wear and its impact on the environment. Here are a few sustainable materials which are good for the planet too – linen, hemp, organic cotton, lyocell, and bamboo textile. Buy local to support the sustenance of artisans and their craftsmanship.
3. Recycle or Upcycle: Be creative with those worn-out clothes. For example, old jeans can be turned into shorts, and old T-shirts can be used to make a tote bag; you can even sew fabric scraps into hair scrunchies or headbands. There are quite many online tutorials and DIY ideas that guide and inspire you on how new items can be crafted from the old ones.
4. Re-styling Hacks: You’ll be surprised with the amount of ways you can style just one piece of clothing in your cupboard. Something that you bought as a dress one day can be worn as a shirt the next day. This doesn’t only save you money and reduce your footprint, it also creates several new looks for you that you would never have thought of!
5. Find a Local Recycler: Why waste clothes by throwing them away when you can just recycle them? Ever heard of the three R’s? Reduce, reuse, recycle. These three are a mantra for sustainability in today’s day and age. The clothes that you can no longer repair or up-cycle can be given to recyclers to transform the valuable material into something completely new. So it doesn’t go to waste, nor does it harm the environment.
6. Organic Detergents & Sun-Drying Garment to Take Care Of Your Garment – The tiny particles that are frequently shed by our clothes as they tumble in the dryer and churn in the washing machine can end up in the air and in rivers. These micro-plastics can be very harmful to the environment, and us living beings. Using organic detergents and sun-drying garments can prevent such micro-plastics from entering the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe.

Why not take such simple steps to reduce your waste and keep the environment unstrained and laundered! Build your own circular fashion wardrobe: a loop that never has to end.