Reduce, reuse, and invest!
As someone working in the fashion world and who was also raised by total hippies (love ya, mom and dad!), the non-stop consumerism can feel overwhelming. So can the horrifying stats about waste and pollution created by fashion (yikes, tons of textiles in dumps and dyes in rivers). Not to mention the use of cheap, awful labor. Wooh! It’s a lot to deal with. Obviously, at Teysha, we have set out to do things wayyyy differently, and have never even considered ourselves as a fashion brand. And, I know there are many other companies who share our mission and vision. It’s a conundrum because in order to keep the business going, we’ve got to make sales, but we also want you to buy things that are made really well, last you a long time, and that stay classic for a long time to come.
I, personally, have always had a complete thrill while shopping, exploring, and looking at clothes. My heart beats just a little bit faster, and I instantly envision all of the combinations I can choose. My guilty pleasure is actually that I have a whole section of my closet that is really just vintage or global treasures that I rarely wear, but that I have to collect. Beyond that, though, I have come so far in my journey to shop less (thanks, entrepreneur’s budget), and am truly trying to think of what I actually need and what I actually wear.
Tips for being friendlier to mother earth while still expressing yourself through clothes:
Reduce — think hard before you purchase, is this an impulse, do you really need it, do you already have something similar? Organizing your closet a-la Marie Kondo has helped me tremendously by visually being able to see that yes, I already have eight white tank tops, I DO NOT need another.
Reuse — fashion is so cyclical. I think I knew that as early as 6th grade because I still have my Adidas classic style in my closet. Ok, that is a little much because we also shouldn’t hoard, but if there is something classic that you own and that you like, hold on to it and reuse it season after season. Or, store it away for a bit and then when you pull it out again, it’s like new!
Invest — invest in pieces that are well-made and are going to last you. We are all getting past the Forever21 life, I think, and realizing that it is worth it to buy a nice pair of shoes for $200 that you will wear the heck out of for years to come, rather than something that looks similar from a fast fashion store, costs $20, and falls apart within a season. Then goes in the trash.
Honorable mention goes to Rent the Runway’s Unlimited service, which I have used previously. The MOST fun way to be able to test out different styles, have several awesome winter coats, and experiment a bit. Definitely a luxury, but fun during certain times!
ALSO love the concept of Vetta Capsule where you purchase ~5 pieces of quality clothing, still at a fair price, and have endless outfit combinations. It is a super goal of mine to be able to invest in one of their capsules!