This is a Good Guide - for a Sustainable Lifestyle

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. This Is A Good Guide For A Sustainable Lifestyle By Marieke Eyskoot BIS PublishersCopyright © 2018 Marieke Eyskoot All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-90-6369-492-0 Contents INTRODUCTION, 01. FASHION & ACCESSORIES, FASHION, SECOND-HAND, ACCESSORIES, GREEN KIDS, GUIDE, 02. BEAUTY, SKINCARE, MAKE-UP AND HAIR, APPEARANCE, SCENT, PERSONAL CARE, GREEN KIDS, GUIDE, 03. FOOD, EATING AND BUYING, STORING, FOOD IS PERSONAL, GREEN KIDS, GUIDE, 04. HOME & WORK, HOME, WORK CSR, GREEN KIDS, GUIDE, 05. LEISURE, TRAVELLING AND HOLIDAYS, DOING THINGS, CELEBRATING, GREEN KIDS, GUIDE, 06. KNOWLEDGE, GREEN KIDS, GUIDE, AFTERWORD, thank you, CHAPTER 1 FASHION & ACCESSORIES INTRODUCTION 10,000 litres of water go into the making of one outfit (jeans, T-shirt) Where would we be without clothes, right? Or bags or shoes? Nowhere. Many people ask me: so, how do you do it? Isn't sustainable fashion a lot more expensive/more difficult to find/uglier than regular clothes? Not per se, sometimes and no. In this chapter I'll show you why. I actually like buying clothes now a lot more than I used to. Because I no longer do it indifferently. Where's the joy in being indifferent? Indifference towards your food is no fun, nor towards living or learning. It's much more interesting and satisfying to buy (or eat or learn) something you really want. The same goes for clothes – I enjoy my purchases much more, because I don't just buy the first thing that looks okay and is cheap. Compare it with the (mindless) eating of an entire bag of crisps, in contrast to an exquisite piece of cake. You'll probably feel guilty, nauseous and big after finishing the crisps, and while the cake might be a bit more expensive, you'll have enjoyed it more. And once you've finished it, you still do. That's what I mean. 11.8 billion kilos of clothes and textiles end up in American landfills every year So overall, I buy a little less, but spend a little more. Yes, you've guessed it: quality over quantity. I've had to learn this, I sometimes find spending money quite difficult. And my partner too. We were pleased to realise that we've started spending more money recently. On life in general, but certainly also on clothes, shoes and bags. Because if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's this: cheap doesn't mean that it doesn't cost much, but that someone else is paying the price. Sustainable products are not expensive, regular ones are too cheap. 80 billion: the amount of clothes we produce annually worldwide (11 pairs of jeans, jackets or dresses per person, 4 times more than in 2000) Fortunately, sustainable, good-quality products generally last longer, making the 'price per use' lower, so that we're actually better off in the long-term. Because the cliché is true: you get what you pay for. If you choose something that doesn't cost a lot and you subsequently can only wear a few times because there are holes in it, or looks like a piece of rag after three washes, you need to keep buying, ultimately spending more. Not smart, but definitely how we've become programmed. We should really shake off that short-term way of thinking. Buy better quality items that cost more, use them for years and you'll spend less. More may seem better, but a growing number of people are questioning this. Including me, so I try to only buy what I need. If I have to replace something, or because it would be good to have so that I can combine and actually wear more of my clothes. I don't just randomly grab something that I 'like'. It's easier now than it used to be, because I better understand my own body and style. Bad buys are not only a waste in terms of money, but also in terms of the environment and the effort of the people that have made that skirt. So, I know my own taste, and that actually, I never wear skirts. Many people have said clever things about this. Pioneering fashion designer Vivienne Westwood says it best: 'Buy less, choose w