6 Totally Free Ways to Participate in Slow Fashion that can Actually Save Money

Have you ever felt that affordable slow fashion was an oxymoron? It can definitely feel that way when you look around at all the pages promoting sustainable brands (mine included!). But participating in slow and sustainable fashion doesn’t have to cost much, and can actually save money. So I’m going to offer 6 simple ideas for how you can participate in slow fashion without spending a dime!

Before we jump in, I’ll just briefly address what slow fashion is, and some reasons why someone might want to participate in slow fashion in the first place. 

What is slow fashion?

In a nutshell, slow fashion is a movement that started in response to fast fashion and encourages the practice of creating and purchasing items for the purpose of being as kind as possible to both people and planet. Study NY describes slow fashion as “the movement of designing, creating, and buying garments for quality and longevity. It encourages slower production schedules, fair wages, lower carbon footprints, and (ideally) zero waste.”

Reasons to participate in slow fashion

So, why should you or I participate in slow fashion? The first reason is pretty simple: many people adopt slow fashion for the purpose of fighting fast fashion. Why one might do that, is a bit of a longer story (see #6 for some basic info on the negative impacts of fast fashion. You’ll discover pretty quickly why a fast fashion boycott is a good idea). Because of this, you’ll see me mention fast-fashion several more times throughout this article.

Beyond that, there are a variety of reasons to love slow fashion, many of which were already mentioned: it’s gentler on the earth; it promotes minimalism, which can lead to less clutter and more clarity of mind; it can promote fair wages and working environments; it can open up the budget for more high-quality items; and so much more!

These reasons are just the beginning to why we at The Ethical Edit have fallen in love with slow fashion. So if you’re intrigued by this idea, are looking for new ways to join the movement or just want to save a bit of cash, keep reading for ways to participate for free (and maybe even save a few bucks)!

1.Do a no-spend month

Probably one of the most obvious and easy ideas (though maybe not so easy to execute!), a no-spend month is precisely what it sounds like: a month without spending. If you’re searching for a totally free way to participate in slow fashion, this is a great place to start.

Not only will your commitment to a no-spend month prevent contribution to fast-fashion, but for those who tend towards over-consumption it can serve as a mental “reset” to help you understand that you probably really don’t need more stuff - or at least not as many things, and not as frequently, as you may have previously thought. This is a great way to help build a slow fashion mindset, fight over-consumption or over-spending habits and put slow fashion into practice.

2. Take stock of what you own

Take a full inventory of what you own so you’ll know if there are any real gaps in your closet that need to be filled. Likely for most people reading this, the answer to that will be a resounding “no”. 

One of the big differences between fast fashion and slow fashion is that slow fashion seeks to create a mindful and intentional wardrobe, whereas fast fashion allows frivolous spending on items that will be out of style in a few months.  Practicing awareness of what you already own by taking inventory will help to curb unnecessary spending and thus aid your slow fashion goals. 

If you really want to take your slow fashion commitment to the next level, check out my article Capsule Wardrobe 101: The Beginners Guide to Building a Capsule Wardrobe for ideas on what you truly need to help build a more sustainable, slow-fashion-approved wardrobe.

3. Trade clothing or do a clothing swap

So you REALLY want to get something new or different for your wardrobe? One of the ways you can participate in slow fashion, get something new-to-you and not spend a dime, is by doing a clothing swap or a trade with friends. Call up a friend who is a similar size and shop each others’ closets! 

If you don’t want to part with any of your items permanently, you could loan each other some pieces to change things up for a few months. When you get your old items back, they may even seem just as exciting as if they were new!

4. Repurpose items

Put a new spin on something old! Repurposing can mean something as simple as distressing a pair of jeans or can be as complex as sewing fabric from an old item into something completely new. Either way, this activity will prevent new spending and prolong the life of old material - awesome!

5. Donate, consign, or recycle old items

Donating, consigning, and recycling are all ways to ensure your items make it into someone else’s hands before becoming straight-up waste, thereby slowing down it’s lifecycle. You may even be helping someone else participate in slow fashion without them knowing it… you sneaky trickster (but like… a good sneaky trickster)!

These are all great ways to prolong the life of items that you’re done with. Even if you purchased or received an item from a fast fashion brand, it’s still important to make sure that the material gets as much use as possible before it heads for a landfill.

6. Spread the word!

Help spread the word about slow fashion!  One of the ways to do this is to share facts and info about why fighting fast fashion is so important. The more people to join the growing fast fashion boycott, the better! 

You can check out Good On You’s article for some quick facts about fast fashion that you can share. You can also do a quick web search to read up on the many social and environmental benefits of slow fashion, many of which I’ve already listed for you, or just share this article! 

Just be sure to always engage in conversation in a kind and understanding way. The goal is not to demand that others live according to the same commitments as you or I, but to help them understand why we do what we do and to empower them to make a change if they choose.

I hope these 6 free ways to participate in slow fashion have helped or inspired you. I’d love to hear how you participate in slow fashion, so be sure to leave me a comment below!