Where Wellness and Style Meet
As humans have grown more cognizant of our impact on the planet, movements are being generated that highlight the need for more sustainable living. Simultaneously, growing awareness around self-care practices has also been increasing. Where do these two lifestyle choices intersect? Can being a more conscious consumer support wellness and being healthier in general? We think so here at idPearl.
Making Better Self-Care Choices
In recent years as fast fashion has grown and social media along with it, it has fueled people's needs for instant gratification, which shopping has been known to satisfy. We live in a time of quick dopamine hits with the click of a few buttons. However, growing awareness around mental health and healthier habits has raised concerns. We've become aware of how fast fashion has led to pollution on the planet, but also now understand that it feeds unhealthy patterns for humans as well. Conscious consumerism is behind the drive to make healthier choices for ourselves and the planet. We can do this by choosing to shop less and find alternative healthier ways to find satisfaction. There is a revolution brewing in the fashion world that involves investing in slow fashion practices.
These include:
- Educate yourself about sustainable clothing practices
- Buy less and shop for quality over quantity
- Choose natural materials – organic cotton, linen, cashmere, silk and wool
- Learn best cleaning, storing and mending practices
- Research fabric contents and how clothing is made
Increasingly, campaigners are arguing that one of the easiest ways of slashing fashion's impact is by buying less (far less, just three new pieces of clothing a year, according to campaign group Take the Jump), and by making the clothes we already own last longer. Basically, the fashion industry needs to shrink in size, substantially. For a generation of shoppers pumped up on constructed desires and instant gratification, this can be hard to envisage – but the figures are irrefutable.
Research by environmental charity Wrap shows that extending the life of an item of clothing by just nine months could cut its environmental impact by up to 10 percent; imagine what could be achieved over decades. Factors that contribute include buying good quality clothing, the willingness of owners to wear the same item over and over again, and their ability to take care of them. Learning how to fix a broken zipper, mend a hole and gentle hand washing are ways that we can extend the life of a beloved piece of clothing.
Many of today's clothes are made with chemicals that are unhealthy. Much of the process involves petroleum based chemicals that are not good for the environment. But not much thought has gone into how wearing synthetics might be impact a person's health. Your skin is the largest organ on your body and absorbs environmental factors. We now know that plastics are endocrine disruptors that impact health. Incorporating more natural fibers like organic cotton, linen, cashmere, silk, wool and recycled materials, can cut back on the amount of chemicals we are exposing our bodies to. Natural fibers can also have health benefits, something that ancient people's understood.
If we shift our focus from needing to consume more in order to feel good, to feeling good about supporting intentional and more sustainable shopping habits, we not only make a difference in the larger consumer chain, but we participate in a broader lifestyle community that promotes health and wellness for all.
Eluroom's Paisley Neem Silk Wrap Dress is made from responsibly sourced recycled silk sari fabric and is made in London in small batch. Shop this item >>
- by Mary Vukovic'