With all the buzz about going green and being eco-friendly, I decided to see how living green could be applied to the fashion industry. I quickly learned there is a lot more to the topic than I originally thought and that the post I was planning would be best split into multiple parts.

Becoming eco-friendly or going green are terms that relate to lifestyles and/or products that are friendly to the environment. From consuming less natural resources, using organic products, recycling, producing less wast, using sustainable resources and so much more, it turns out that the more green steps that are int he production process the more eco-friendly the product.

In fashion, the most effective way to be eco-friendly is to simply buy less clothing, shoes, and accessories. The next most effective is to purchase used items from garage sales or thrift stores, reducing the amount of new products that need to be manufactured, keeping goods from ending up in landfills, and often making a charitable contribution at the same time. Another good option is to Freecycle which is a great way to get (and give!) free stuff locally. With the average American throwing out 68 pounds of clothing and textiles a year, it is easy to see how these options can make a huge difference.

Sure, these are great options, but most people like me love to shop, love shoes, clothes and purses. There is something about the thrill of the hunt and finally getting the perfect item for the perfect price. For people like me, there is still some hope, so do not fear! Team Treehugger gives us the following words of advice for building an eco-friendly wardrobe.

You’ve heard it before, but shop with a plan! Pretend that a new item of clothing is like a new kitten, it needs a home where it will be loved and appreciated. Don’t just through it in the closet full of other clutter. It needs to be valued and most importantly, worn. Ask yourself: Will I wear this in two years? Can I wear something like this at work? How will it go with my other items and accessories? Will I still want to wear this rhinestone-studded bustier after I get it home? If not, then don’t make the impulse buy! I know, it sounds boring, because we love the impulse buy, but if it doesn’t fit into your long term fashion plan than skip it.

Love your duds. Whatever you’ve chosen, take good care of it. When you get home, change out of work gear and into your famous dressing gown or leisure suit. Dont cook or check the tire pressure in clothes you want to wear in public. Learn how to sew a button back on, or how to coax a nimble friend into doing it for you. Get the name of a local tailor or seamstress for major repairs or alterations.

Don’t do dry cleaning. Although it’s improving, your trusty corner cleaner uses perc (tetrachloroethylene), a known carcinogen. See if there is a good local green cleanner employing wet cleaning or liquid CO2 techniques. Many items of clothing have tags that ask fro dry cleaning, but they can actually be hand washed. This is especially true with silk, wool and linen.

Buy used or vintage items. You know what they say about ones trash being anthers treasure. People unload clothes for all kinds of reasons, not just because the clothes are worn out. From Oscar-worthy vintage dresses to Freecycled denim, you can likely find the piece you’re looking for at a second hand shop. You can give those second hand garments a second life. You may be helping charitable causes at the same time.

The more you wash your clothes, the worst it is for the environment. If you don’t have to wash it, don’t! Make a thin salt paste to soak fabrics in if they need a little extra TLC. Choose phosphate-free and biodegradable detergents if you can. If you’re looking for a new washing machine, of course, look for the Energy Star label. Every little bit helps.

When possible, wear organic! We often think that cotton is clean, natural and fresh, but most the time it’s not. It takes a third a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to produce the cotton for just on cotton t-shirt! Luckily, organic cotton is getting easier a nd easier to get our hands on. Be careful, however, a T-shirt that may have started out as being organic is often processed with chemicals and metal-laden dyes. We need to stay vigilant for true organic clothing.