What materials should I buy to shop sustainably? We hear this question often.
At Aímée, we believe it's important to work with sustainable materials. But what is truly sustainable?
Every material has its advantages and disadvantages. We often think that the more natural the material, the smaller its environmental footprint.
For example, cotton, a truly natural material, has a limited lifespan; a lot of water and land is needed to grow it and to turn the cotton ball into a final product.
On the other hand, cotton is biodegradable and produces low CO2 emissions. We appreciate that.
Because when I think about the plastic soup polyester can cause… Plus, I personally don't like wearing polyester items against my skin. It's fine as a skirt or pants, but preferably not as a top.
I often find it so stuffy and stuffy. The advantage of polyester is that it's very strong and requires little water and soil.
However, if you really want to be sustainable, it is better to buy a recycled item.
Six Ames from Denmark uses these fabrics extensively, using a lot of recycled polyester, lenzing viscose, etc.
At Aímée, we use a lot of cotton and linen for our summer collections. Linen, like cotton, is biodegradable. I think that's important, as it ensures no polluting product is left behind.
Moreover, linen and cotton are wonderful to wear. In high temperatures, you don't want to think about having to wear sweaty fabric, do you?
Linen has a strong fiber and grows very quickly, all of which are advantages.
But how can you, as a consumer, make sustainable choices?
When you invest in slow fashion items that you can wear for a long time because they are made of high quality and have a style that will remain wearable for several years, you are doing a great job.
Consider what kind of item your wardrobe needs. Is it a key piece or a basic?
Do you follow Lonneke Nooteboom? She also has lots of great advice for you.
Shop consciously and don't overorder. This way, you won't have to constantly send out a truck and you won't need to use a lot of packaging.
Go to your local hero and remember that it's true that a shop owner does a little dance when you make a nice purchase in his or her shop.
How wonderful is it to treat yourself to beautiful clothes that make you feel good and also make a retailer happy because he has achieved a good daily turnover?
Win-win situation if you ask me.