At Ivy, we have recently been sharing our thoughts and ideas on the importance of sustainable fashion with Nadine Banks, founder of Re-Archive.
Re-Archive is an online platform for conscious collaboration, with a focus on fashion, lifestyle and the environment.
"At Re-Archive, our aim is to normalise sustainability in the fashion industry by conducting personable interviews, creating inclusive and celebrated editorials as well as discussing and finding solutions with like minded individuals."
With so much focus on everyone within the supply chain from manufacturers to retailers to become more sustainable in their methods and techniques, Nadine and I agreed that it is equally vital for consumers to take some responsibility too in the way that we shop.
Following our conversation, Nadine kindly agreed to write a guest blog for us on the importance of investing in basics and why it's an important step towards building a more sustainable wardrobe. This is what she shared.
"Finding your own style is one of the most personal, and most fun, parts of fashion, but it can also be incredibly intimidating. We are constantly surrounded by new trends and are manipulated by modern media into constantly buying things we don’t need or even truly like. Most of us have this drive to always have a wardrobe full of things we don’t even need, let alone don’t even wear. The habit of always wanting to have something new and to keep up with the latest trends is also creating harmful impacts on our planet and the people who make our clothes. The influence of designers, media, influencers and even our friends can sometimes make us feel like we constantly need the latest trends to pull together a coherent, effortless outfit. But when it comes to building a great wardrobe - especially a sustainable one - it is super beneficial to start with a few great basics.
Basics are items that you can practically wear on all occasions, dressing them up or down to suit your needs and your style. Basics have the power to make getting dressed and finding your personal style easier. Basics are the foundations of any outfit, by pairing them with other pieces you can create multiple looks, all with using the same staple items. One of my all time favourite basics is a t-shirt because of how versatile it is. Whether you’re dressing for work, a party, a walk or even a date, a t-shirt works well, provided it’s the right one.
When shopping for a new t-shirt most of us will head to Zara to grab a £5 t-shirt because we may feel it’s not something we want to spend a lot of money on or a lot of time on. However most of the time we end up wearing out these cheap basics within a matter of months or barely wear them at all and they just become like every other fast fashion item in our wardrobes. So, when creating a sustainable and well thought out wardrobe it is super important to invest in good quality and well fitting basics.
So, how do you find the perfect t-shirt?
Firstly, take the time to shop around when buying a t-shirt. Start by finding what fit and style suits both your body and your personal style. Think what is going to go well with what you already have in your wardrobe. Once you have found what style works best for you, take the time to search for quality. You want to stick with cotton or ideally organic cotton, as this fabric will last longer and wear better than synthetics. You may have to spend a little more money on a good t-shirt, but it’s long term rewards beat those of a low quality item. High quality sustainable basics have a much longer life-cycle, which is not only great for the environment, but for you too. It can take time to find the perfect style and quality t-shirt, but trust me it is worth it!"
By Nadine Banks, founder Re-Archive
