Are you a Clothing Polluter?

• On average an American buys 64 garments a year?
• He/she throws away and/or donates 82 pounds of clothing a year?
• 85% of what we toss ends up in landfill because thrift shops can’t keep up?
• Americans send 10.5 million tons of clothing to landfills every year?
• 98% of the clothes we buy are made outside the US?

Clothing is now priced so competitively that profit margins are very slim. The only way for retailers to make a profit is to sell a LOT of clothes. The only way to convince us to buy a LOT of clothes is to keep changing styles every season — the cut, the length, the fabrics, the patterns, the trim, and the colors (think Pantone’s Color(s) of the Year, which now change every season. Our obsession with celebrity helps: what is Kim Kardashian wearing today??? Blecch.

Understand the impact your choices make. Here’s one video about it. A little googling will turn up lots more.

Stop impulse buying. Before you shop, assess your actual wardrobe gaps (if any!) and make a shopping list. Most of us already have overstuffed closets. If you need something for a special (one time) event can you rent or borrow the garment? Can you accessorize something you already own? If you must buy, try to find a something that can be dressed up or down for other occasions.

If you must buy, buy quality, not quantity. Cheap clothes are made to last a season. If you own a few well-made separates (slacks, jeans, skirts, jackets, sweaters) in relatively timeless styles, in a few of your most flattering colors, you can use scarves, jewelry, belts, etc to change them up. When you do pass it on, quality clothes are more likely to be re-used rather than tossed in the landfill.

Learn how to make alterations. Extend the life of your garments. Change the hem length, take it in, cut down the neckline, add trim – so easy. Or pay someone to do it for you.

*GET YOUR COLORS DONE! Having a custom personal palette helps you create a pared down “capsule wardrobe” of clothes that mix and match effortlessly. You can ignore 75% of garments in the stores that are not on your palette, and avoid wasting your money on things that will just become orphans in your closet.

*If you can’t bring yourself to get your colors done because you dislike being self-focused, I’ve now given you an altruistic reason: do it for the planet!  Here’s more info on what’s involved in a personal color analysis. Then CALL ME (360) 903-3659! We’ll save the planet one color palette at a time.