Festive Sustainability
Trying to live sustainably in a world where fast everything is everywhere can be hard. Now a days we want things now, we want them cheap and we want them exactly how we envision them so cutting corners for that vision can sometimes be quite difficult for us.
One thing to remember is that simply because something is fast, simple and how we planned it doesn’t mean it’s right for us. That can apply to all areas of life from a job, to a relationship, an event or of course clothes.
Christmas and New Year is the season for extravagance and sparkle so how can we make that sustainable?
Sparkle is heavy on the environment so how can we change it to make it work for our planet and the people living on it?
All Marks and Spencer
Sequins are often made of PVC and can be used in huge numbers. According to www.greenpeace.org, PVC is the most environmentally damaging plastic and has serious side effects to the environment as well as the consumer. It causes the release of toxic chlorine based chemicals that build up in water, air and food supplies. This causes serious health problems including cancer, damage immune systems and hormone disruption. Not only that but it’s virtually impossible to repurpose Vinyl due to the amount of additives used to make it useable and it takes 1,000 years for it to break down!
There is however now a company called The Sustainable Sequin Company (www.thesustainablesequincompany.com) which is coming soon. They have provided Fashion Houses including Gucci and MonCinta with Sustainable, Biodegradable sequins for some of their designs and are hopefully going to be available to the public soon. They have also found a couple of amazing artists who can use the sequin waste to create art which minimises the wastage of their production.
So soon we won’t have an excuse to be using non biodegradable sequins!
On the other hand we can also (SHOCKER) not wear sequins!!!! There are many ways to dress for the festive season without sequins! I personally love colour for events. Yes sparkle is great but I find colour to be easier to wear through the seasons as sometimes sequins aren’t always acceptable unfortunately.
Recently I bought a hot pink skirt for £5 from an Oxfam near me (pictured on my instagram) Not only was it amazing value and looks great but it also helps less fortunate people in the process. Thrifting and up cycling is a great way to look fresh without breaking the bank or hurting the environment.
Wearing bold colours and luxurious, clean-cut fabrics can give you the festive feel without the cost of the environment. Wearing natural silks and Vegan leathers can add a feel of elegance and adding colour adds fun meaning combining the too can create a classy christmas look.
One of my least favourite things about festive attire (particularly sequinned clothing) is that people tend to wear it once and then think well I’ve worn it once so now I have to wear something different. This is a toxic way of thinking for a number of reasons.
It makes it incredibly expensive. The festive season is the season of multiple parties whether it be work do’s, girls night out, family do’s or events. Wearing different outfits for each of these really adds up!
It’s incredibly bad for consumerism. If we continue to buy numerous items that we don’t need and will only wear once it just adds to the need for more clothes especially FAST clothes. this is not only bad for the environment but it’s also bad for the people making the clothes.
You can prevent this by restyling your key piece. For example I have a sequin top from Topshop that I’ve had for about 3 years which I restyle regularly especially during the festive season. Whether I am dressing it down with jeans or dressing it up with a pencil skirt and courts I can change how it looks quickly and easily.
If you absolutely want to wear sparkle for an event or party there are plenty of ways to add it as well as the ways I’ve mentioned above.
Jewellery is a great way of adding sparkly without it being over the top. It’s also a way of adding sparkle you can rewear and restyle easily as it’s not the main part of your outfit. Using jewellery in your metal with one tone stones means it will be easily interchangeable.
If you want to be a little extra with your sparkle which I am all for in the festive season the body glitter is another great way to shine. There are now multiple eco friendly body glitter companies who make biodegradable body glitter so It’s just about choosing your colour and how much you want.
A few examples are
Hemway Biodegradable glitter - cosmetic safe, independently tested, non-toxic, children safe, eco friendly, ocean & wildlife safe, vegan & cruelty free
ARA Evolution - plastic-free, sustainably sourced packaging, biodegradable, vegan & cruelty free, plant based, made in the UK
So the next time you think you don’t have anything to wear to your Christmas or New Years Party have a look through your existing clothes and see what you can come up with. You might surprise yourself!
MERRY CHRISTMAS and A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR
from the whole team here at Lume x