We welcomed alternative and vegan footwear brand Koi to give us the rundown on how we can
all put a little more sustainability in our step.
The sheer thought of trying to start building a more ethical and sustainable wardrobe from the
beginning sounds like a very daunting task indeed! But, like your fairy godmother,x we are here
to tell you things are not as they seem, and with our six tips you will have a more sustainable
wardrobe before you know it. You may well be on your way to becoming a sustainable fashion baddie by the end of this article. Now that we have your attention let’s jump right in!
1. The 30 Wears Test
The theory is simple, only buy things you know you will wear at least 30 times. This puts an end
to buying things and only wearing it once.
2. Quality Always, Over Quantity
Following on nicely from our 30 wears test, our next tip stresses the importance of quality over
quantity. This involves changing your mindset slightly. It will cost more upfront, but you’re much
more likely to have that clothing item for a much longer time. This will mean you are able to buy
fewer items per season as your clothing will now last much longer. You have heard it all before,
but it’s all about those investment pieces!
3. Always Invest In Good Transitional Pieces
Only buy shoes and clothing you know with work all year round. This is a tough one especially if
you live in rainy Manchester like us. But it means not being so spenny and buying an entire
summer wardrobe that you know will not pass the 30 wears test. Timeless jackets and boots will
work any time of year and are a much more sustainable option.
4. Kilo Sales Are Your Best Friend
Investing in second-hand clothing as opposed to buying new. The perfect place to start is kilo
sales, you can buy and sell to them.
Live by the very simple rule we are all too familiar with ‘one in, one out.’ This also means you
are selling your pre-loved clothes to someone who can give them a new lease of life.
5. The Magic Of Depop
If you are anything like us you have way too many clothes and shoes in your wardrobe!
Absolutely no judgment here! And why not make a quick buck with a Depop side hustle. This is
a great way to shop more sustainably and also pay off that student loan!
6. Sustainable Fashion Materials To Look Out For
Here we are going to focus on some of the most sustainable fashion materials in footwear, as we know those best. Materials to keep an eye out for include:
Water-based PU faux leather – If we wanna get scientific the full name is water-based
polyurethane leather. Bet you feel clever now! This is a great material because it’s vegan
leather and in the process of making the leather the water is recycled. Making this one of the
most sustainable materials to keep an eye out for. In fact, here at Koi most of our faux leather
boots are made using this exact material. Hint, hint, wink, wink
Hemp fabric – Responsibly sourced from a cannabis factory, this material is strong and
waterproof. As the hemp plant can grow so densely on its own there is no need for any use of
harsh chemicals. Music to all our sustainable queens’ ears!
Recycled polyester – This can be made from anything, a lot of shoe brands use recycled water
bottles and manufacturing these shoes or garments uses 79% fewer carbon emissions than
producing the virgin compound.
We should also not forget about offcuts, they are also a great option to look out for. This means
a brand is using as much of the material with as little waste as possible. At Koi, our angel wings
are made from offcuts and are very popular with our customers. Adding a little somethin’
somethin’ to your shoes.
We hope our six tips to more sustainable style have inspired you and remember that small
changes can make all the difference in the world. And to help you on your journey we have
teamed up with Koi Footwear to offer an exclusive 15% off with the code VEGUMS12776887.
Visit www.koifootwear.com and enter the code and checkout to save!