Tip of the Day - Buy Greener Back to School Clothes
Shopping for back to school clothes can be a major event. Here are a few tips to green your child’s wardrobe and your own:
- Bring your own bag when you shop. BYOB is not just for groceries.
- Reduce your consumption of new clothes. Reuse! Accept hand-me-downs from friends, relatives, and neighbors. Check Freecycle and Craig’s List. Buy clothes second hand at a local consignment shop or thrift store.
- Search for “repurposed clothing” on Etsy and check out awesome creations like this beautiful dress, or these cute t-shirts. And while she doesn’t have anything up for sale on her site right now, check out MadeByRachel’s repurposed clothes.
- Check out sites like the DIY Network and Treehugger for instructions on repurposing clothes yourself.
- When buying new, look for clothes that are organic, recycled, and/or recyclable, like the organic cotton and Synchilla fleece lines from Patagonia. For older kids (and you), check out Nau, Organic Style and Maggie’s.
- Don’t buy too much. Buy only what your kids will wear and wear out.
- Don’t forget to donate old clothes that are no longer in use.
August 4th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Good post! One challenge parents face is family and kid pressure to buy new, buy brands(only the hottest of course) and buy abundantly! We started working with our children when they were toddlers to not always expect the hottest, newest and brand nameiest(like that invention?). If the kids are young start now!
August 4th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
that patagonia fleece is awesome. thanks for the tips!
August 4th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
EY — I do like that work invention. And I love that you set your childrens’ expectations at a reasonable level.
Jax — I love that they are recycled and recyclable.