You've got fashion all wrong

Currently, the world is coming together by staying apart. It feels extremely unnatural as we are social beings, right? We're used to changing scenes and outfits, going places and buying things. Staying in one place can make us feel stagnant and confused; so we do what we can to keep us feeling 'normal', such as zooming friends, trying out recipes, and of course, shopping.

As someone who grasps the depth of the fashion industry and how difficult it can be to communicate it to consumers, I've definitely done my research. Through it, I have learned to break down the most important purchasing tips for the rest of your consumer life! So pay attention.

1. Know the fibre content

What is in your clothes impacts the environment, the people who make your clothes, and yourself as the wearer. If nothing else, this should be the defining factor for whether you say 'yay' or 'nay' to the item.

Fibres can be:

· natural: Derived from either plants (such as cotton, hemp, linen) or from animals (such as silk, wool, mohair).

· synthetic: These are manmade and oil based - yes, as in they come from fossil fuels! (Such as acrylic, nylon, and polyester).

· or regenerated: Derived from wood pulp (cellulose). Examples of these are viscose, lyocell, ramie.

There's no black and white answer, however natural fibres are most certainly better in aspects of quality (durability, handle, longevity) than any other type of fibre. They also biodegrade, meaning they will return to the Earth eventually with minimal damage to the environment. On the other hand, synthetics such as the very notable polyester fibre are much cheaper in quality and cause pollution from sourcing, to your wardrobe, to landfill.

The kicker? Two thirds of clothes made are synthetic based. Due to being cheap to produce, synthetics are the main fibre used in fast fashion. Their carbon footprint is therefore extremely high; they even continue to pollute every time we wash them amounting to almost 35% of the micro-plastics in our water bodies (even recycled synthetics).

The information on regenerated fibres varies, as production can depend highly on energy consumption and create toxic runoff. I generally stay away.

Read the labels. Know the fibre and how to care for it and it'll last.

2. Be selective - know your style

Major fashion brands create masses of quick of turnover. In order to keep up with trends and make room for new stock, H&M was recently shown up to have burned 60 tonnes of new and unsold clothes since 2013. This practice also happens at Urban Outfitters, Michael Kors, Victoria’s Secret, Nike and even Burberry.

On individual terms, we each spend an average of over £1000 per year on clothing, generating vast amounts of waste by continually disposing of it. Roughly 300,000 tonnes of used clothing go to landfill annually in the UK (much of it way before it's worn out).

They say it's 'consumer demand' causing the supply decisions - let's beat them at their own game - get to know what you like! Basic pieces with some quirky vintage add-ons are the way I roll. Depop is always a good one for when I'm set on a certain item but am adamant to find it second-hand. I also love garments with a story - some of my favourite items were my grandmother’s, my mother’s, or found at car boots.

If you know what you like and what you're after, rather than being driven by trends you'll be driven by your own style; that's timeless, and will stay in your wardrobe for years to come.

3. Understand the brand's motives

'Greenwashing' occurs everywhere now. This is a misleading claim about the source or benefits of a product to make the company appear to be more environmentally friendly than it is.

Consumer confusion is further caused when major brands gain popularity in claiming to be 'transparent'. As stated by Sarah Ditty, the policy director at Fashion Revolution, transparency is "not an examination of how ethical or sustainable the brands are" - profit is all that drives fast fashion companies.

The closest a brand can get to being self-sustaining and low-impact is to follow a circular fashion module. Circularity entails that products will be designed consciously, with the purpose to remain in use for as long as possible, without generating waste. So, really just common sense.

Make sure that if you're buying new and directly from a brand it is one that does this. Then you'll be the proud owner and wearer of a garment made responsibly, ethically, and in a truly environmentally friendly manner.

4. Realise your own value

If I've learned anything on my sustainable fashion journey so far, it's that people matter. Supply chains must be supported in order for true change to occur across the board; and us, the consumers, are also just as important.

We must begin to understand the circularity of our decisions and have the holistic understanding that - from the clothes we wear, the food we eat, to the products we buy - we are all consumers. We're voting daily with our wallets.

Knowledge is responsibility. You can now make change starting with your closet and get fashion all right.