This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
It’s safe to say that I’ve had a shopping problem for pretty much as long as I can remember. I didn’t think much about where my clothes came from, how they were made, or what happened to them after I stopped wearing them.
The most important thing to me was getting the newest trend, wearing it a few times, and then completely forgetting about it. However, after learning about circular fashion while listening to the podcast Brown Girl Green for a weekly biology class assignment, my perspective on clothing and sustainability completely changed.
Circular fashion is a concept that focuses on keeping clothing in use for as long as possible. Instead of the traditional fashion model, in which clothes are produced, worn for a short time, and then thrown away, circular fashion promotes reuse, repair, reselling, and recycling clothing. The podcast mentions many ways to participate in a circular way, such as dyeing fabrics with different colors or adding fun patches to reinvent any clothing item.
Learning about the concept of circular fashion helped me better understand how individual choices connect to larger environmental issues. The podcast focuses on sustainability, environmental justice, and ways people can make more mindful decisions in their everyday lives. Hearing conversations about sustainable fashion made me realize that the fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to pollution and waste worldwide. Something as simple as buying a cheap t-shirt can actually have a much larger environmental footprint than I could have ever imagined.
What I appreciate most about circular fashion is that it’s actually easier to practice than many people realize, especially for college students. Trading clothes with friends or having group-wide clothing swaps are both great ways to participate that are fairly easy and can help grow your closet without buying brand-new items. Other ways to be more clothing-conscious include thrifting or visiting secondhand consignment stores, upcycling old clothing, and donating.
Since learning more about circular fashion, my shopping habits have definitely changed. One of the biggest differences is that I now try to shop secondhand first. Instead of immediately buying something new, I look in my own closet (or my friends’ closets) first to see if there’s an alternative to buying a completely new outfit. I also love going to secondhand stores like Plato’s Closet, where I can find name brands like Lululemon and American Eagle for half the regular price. Not only is it more sustainable, but it is also usually more affordable. Sometimes, thrifting even feels more exciting because every item is unique, and it takes a little more effort to find something special.
I have also started being more intentional about what I buy. Instead of purchasing something just because it is trendy or viral on TikTok, I try to think about how often I will actually wear it. Sometimes I buy things because everyone else has them or because they’re a very popular brand, but not because I actually love them. If I can picture myself wearing something multiple times and styling it in different ways, it feels like a better investment. Circular fashion has helped me shift from impulse buying to more thoughtful shopping decisions and having a closet I enjoy much more.
For our generation, circular fashion is especially important. Many young people today are becoming more aware of environmental issues and are trying to live more sustainably. While it may not always be possible to avoid fast fashion completely, making small adjustments, such as thrifting, swapping clothes with friends, or buying fewer but higher-quality items, can still make a difference.
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