Whether for financial reasons, environmental concerns, or simply being overwhelmed by your closet, there are a lot of cases for a low-buy year, season, or month.
When I asked the Slow Fashion Saturday community about their slow fashion intentions, the most common response was that they wanted to do a low-buy or no-buy year.
I have a similar goal this year — I want to prioritize only adding intentional, high-quality pieces to my closet without breaking my clothing budget. This will mean being selective in the number of items I add to my closet.
Everyone’s low-buy will look a little bit different. But these tips will help you create your framework and stick to it for a successful low-buy year.
1) Set a Clear Intention
Define your goal, your why, and understand where you’re at now. Here are some prompts to help you set your intentions!
Determine what qualifies as a no-buy or low-buy year for you
Perhaps you’re taking Tiffanie Darke’s “Rule of 5” challenge and adding only 5 things to your wardrobe. Perhaps you’re committing to only buy 1 piece per month. Perhaps you don’t want to buy any new fashion item this year. Maybe you’re going to take a complete pause for a few months, even including secondhand items.
It’s about what makes sense for your life. And perhaps you’ll get some more clarity after reflecting on your why in the next question…
Get clear on why you are taking this challenge
There might be several reasons here — perhaps you want to save money and you want to feel more in control of your closet.
And then go a level deeper:
Why do you want to reduce your overconsumption? (To feel more confident about your personal style? To align your fashion choices more closely with your environmental concerns or passions?)
Why do you want to save money? (To pay off debt, to save for a home down payment, to create an emergency fund?)
Think about how you want to feel at the end of this year. Do you want to feel calmer when you go into your closet? Proud of yourself for being a more conscious consumer? Confident because you’re more in control of your finances?
Decide how you will track your progress
If you’re taking this challenge for financial reasons, add up what you spent on fashion last year. Use this as a benchmark to compare what you spend this year.
If you’re taking the challenge because you’re overwhelmed by your closet, count the number of items currently in your wardrobe. If your goal to reduce the total number of items, take a tally at the end of each season to see how you’re doing. (My free closet tracker is an easy way to do this!)
Or if you’re taking the challenge primarily for sustainability reasons, perhaps you want to also track the type of items you purchase. For example, maybe you want to only buy secondhand or only support sustainably-minded small brands.
Lean into the slow fashion habits you already have
This was something that sustainability creator Immy Lucas included in her low-buy planning YouTube video: “what good habits do I already have?” I loved that idea of starting the challenge with a positive mindset acknowledging what we’re already doing right.
Maybe you always shop secondhand first, perhaps you don’t buy fast fashion, maybe you mend your clothes, or you already wear what you have a long time. Keep doing more of that and go from there!
2) Do a Closet Audit
Take stock of what is already in your closet, counting how many pieces you have in each category. You’ll then also have a total of how many pieces are in your closet. This process might take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on how many clothes you have and if some are in storage or not.
If you’re not sure about everything in your closet, take a moment to do a mini closet audit first, with three categories.
- Keep in closet: pieces you enjoy wearing or are excited to wear
- Separate out: pieces that haven’t been worn lately (or at all) but have potential — challenge yourself to restyle those pieces to see if they could work!
- Take out to re-home: pieces that don’t suit your personal style, lifestyle, or don’t fit (and aren’t alterable)
If you want an easy way to keep track of your garment categories, my free closet tracker template is here to help!
If you did the mini closet-audit, only count the items in the first two categories. For the third category, you
Once you know how many pieces are in your wardrobe (and how many you have in each category), you can reflect on the following:
In what categories do I already have enough or too much?
- This becomes your “do not buy” list.
Are there any categories I have a gap in that needs to be filled?
- This becomes your “ok to buy” list or your wishlist.
Given your responses, you might have to go back to your intention in step one and update your goals.
For example, if you experienced body and size fluctuations, a major lifestyle change, evolution in your personal style, or moved to a different climate, a full no-buy or super restrictive low-buy might not be realistic for you this year.
Or perhaps it’s the other way around — maybe after counting the pieces in your closet, you want to create tighter parameters around a low-buy.
3) Set Up Systems for Success
As the James Clear quote goes from Atomic Habits, “you do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Plan your purchases
Whether you want to utilize the “To Buy?” tab in my Closet Tracker template or just keep track of your most-wanted/needed pieces in your Notes app, this can be a powerful practice.
Or perhaps you want to plan when you will buy.
Tiffanie Darke suggests planning your “Rule of 5” challenge pieces evenly throughout the seasons.
And one Slow Fashion Saturday subscriber had a great idea to plan these purchases around upcoming experiences and travel! Tying an item to an experience can add a sentimental value to them, making those garments all the more special.
If you plan your purchases around certain times, you can still enjoy that element of discovery. This is a way to engage in a low-buy without a prescriptive shopping list. (Though I think a loose list is still helpful, as you’ll still want to make those limited number of purchases count!)
Remove shopping temptations
No matter how strong our willpower is, at one point it does run out — so why not make it easier on ourselves?
Unsubscribe from newsletters, cancel subscriptions (like to Prime), unfollow or mute accounts that push constant consumption, delete shopping apps, log-out of shopping accounts, and remove “saved card” details from payment processors or other shopping sites you frequent.
Determine what to replace shopping with
When you want to change any habit, the first step is building an awareness of why we have that habit in the first place. What need is it satisfying? What purpose is it serving in our lives? (E.g., Does that habit help us feel better when we’re down? Does that habit make us feel less lonely?)
And then we can start to find healthier alternatives to meeting that need or desire.
I know shopping and buying new things can add a sense of excitement to my day. But perhaps instead I can be more proactive about planning fun activities with friends that I can look forward to.
Putting on a new garment can make me feel confident. But also maybe I could spend some time shopping my closet and creating fresh outfits in proportions that flatter to satisfy that purpose.
This one is quite personal, so it might take some time to get clarity on it.
How can you support yourself with community and accountability?
Will you track your clothing spending and come back to it each month?
Will you share your goal with a partner, friend, or loved one? Or even better, can you have someone join the challenge with you?
There are many subscribers of the Slow Fashion Saturday newsletter that are doing a low-buy year so that’s been something we’ve been talking about lately!
Cultivate a positive mindset
A low-buy or no-buy challenge doesn’t have to be viewed as scarcity or as a punishment. It can be an opportunity to have renewed gratitude for the abundance in our closets, or a moment to pause and reflect.
It also can be a chance to start noticing what you do like already about your clothes, your outfits, or your closet. What did you get right? Which purchases were a good investment? What pieces do you wear all of the time?
Another subscriber shared that she found it helpful to track her outfits and note down what she liked about each outfit. As she said, “I can’t tell you how helpful [noting down what I liked about each outfit] has been. It’s much more motivating to develop a plan incorporating positive realizations than negative perceptions. Such a great reminder that gratitude is where it’s at!”
I’m a big fan of cultivating gratitude with our closets because it helps us get off of the “never enough” consumption treadmill. I find gratitude to be foundational to a slow fashion mindset — it helps us appreciate the abundance of what we have and inspires us to care more for what we own.
Are you taking a low-buy or no-buy challenge this year? Stay inspired on the journey by joining the Slow Fashion Saturday newsletter…
The post How to Have a “Low-Buy” Fashion Year appeared first on .
Just like fashion has been overrun by fast fashion, home goods and furniture have similarly seen a rapid decline in quality. Rugs are no exception.
And similar to fashion, these cheap goods come at a high cost — namely, to the planet and to people. In fact carpet and rug production is rampant with exploitation.
On the other hand, fair trade rugs present the best of what a rug can bring to your home: artistry, craftsmanship, and heritage.
The brands featured in this guide are partnering with (and fairly paying!) skilled artisans who are using generations-old — and sometimes even centuries-old — techniques. These artisans are sustaining long lines of crafts, preserving their cultural diversity, and celebrating the richness of their time-honored crafts.
There’s simply no replacement for a timeless, quality artisan-made rug — they’re like pieces of art you can lay out on your floor or hang on your walls.
So, enjoy browsing through this guide to sustainable rug brands listed out below and best of luck on your search for the right fair trade rug!
Where to Find Ethical and Fair Trade Rugs
Note that this guide includes affiliates and partners. As always, brands must meet high standards for ethics and sustainability to be featured and all opinions are my own.
1. Obakki
Best for: warm-hued handwoven wool rugs
Categories: Area Rugs, Runners, Accent Rugs
Obakki partners with artisan weavers primarily in Oaxaca, Mexico — including individual makers like José — who hand-dyes and weaves rugs on a traditional pedal loom using locally sourced sheep’s wool and natural dyes derived from native plants. The brand also works with Rrres Design Studio, a Latin American studio dedicated to preserving traditional Oaxacan weaving techniques, and sources handwoven textiles from artisan communities beyond Mexico as well, including Morocco.
Each rug is made from 100% wool with no synthetic dyes or backing. Most pieces are made-to-order with a 4-8 week production window, shipped directly from the artisan partners.
Price Range: $460 – $4,159
Conscious Qualities: Natural Fibers, Natural Dyes, Craft Preservation
2. Kiliim
Best for: modern wool kilim rugs
Categories: Area Rugs, Accent Rugs
If you’re well-versed in rug terminology, you may recognize that this brand’s name looks similar to the word kilim.
Kiliim’s rug are made using authentic kilim rug craftsmanship by artisans in Egypt coming from generations of kilim artisans. To ensure ethical production and to support the preservation of this heritage craft, Kiliim pays living wages to all artisans.
Price Range: $95 – $4,812
Conscious Qualities: Ethical Production, Heritage Craft Preservation, Natural Fibers
3. Urban Natural
Best for: browsing fair trade rugs in lots of styles and sizes
Categories: Outdoor, Area Rugs, and Accent Rugs
This natural home and lifestyle retailer has a beautifully curated selection of sustainably-made rugs crafted with materials like jute, sisal, wool, and cotton.
Several brands on Urban Natural are also ethically hand-loomed or hand-knotted, such as Loloi — a GoodWeave partner — and Jaipur Living — a brand that partners with thousands of local artisans to sustain heritage crafts.
Price Range: $259 – $9,755
Conscious Qualities: Eco-Conscious Materials
4. LOOMY
Best for: pet-friendly and performance rugs
Categories: Area Rugs, Accent Rugs, Runners, Outdoor Rugs
Founded by a weaver, LOOMY is dedicated to crafting beautiful artisan-made rugs that will last for decades to come.
LOOMY partners with highly-skilled artisan weavers who craft quality rugs made from eco-minded materials like banana silk, jute, and recycled cotton, plus performance options made from 100% recycled polyester built to withstand whatever life brings you.
Price Range: $298 – $8,298
Conscious Qualities: Natural Fibers, Craft Preservation, Vintage Options
5. West Elm
Best for: fair trade rugs in on-trend mainstream styles
Categories: Area Rugs, Accent Rugs
West Elm is bringing ethical rugs to a broader market with their collection of Fair Trade Certified
wool and cotton rugs. While I recommend browsing the smaller shops listed above first, West Elm is supporting the movement to responsibly-made, fair trade rugs.
Price Range: $$$
Conscious Qualities: Fair Trade production, Majority Natural Materials
6. Jubi
Best for: Modern rugs in vibrant prints
Categories: Accent Rugs, Circle Rugs, Runners
Jubi is a Brooklyn studio founded by textile designer Cassie Dagostino. Every rug is handmade from New Zealand wool by fourth-generation weaving families in Bhadohi, India using traditional techniques. Each rug is made-to-order, meaning no excess stock. Since everything is made to order, expect between 3 and 7 weeks for your rug, depending on the technique used.
Conscious Qualities: Pays Above Market Rates, 100% Wool, Made-to-Order
Price Range: $228 – $668
Shipping: Free worldwide shipping
7. Rejuvenation
Best for: Classic rug styles made in Fair Trade factories
Categories: Accent Rugs, Runners, Area Rugs
Home retailer Rejuvenation has a selection of rugs made in Fair Trade Certified factories. Their collection includes undyed hand-loomed rugs to geometric flatwoven wool rugs. And while I’d typically avoid synthetics, it tends to be unavoidable for outdoor rugs — so Rejuvenation’s Fair Trade 100% recycled poly rug is a good option.
Conscious Qualities: Fair Trade Certified, Mostly Natural Materials
Price Range: $79 – $1,649
Shipping: Contiguous U.S. shipping for 10% of product price (add $20 for HI, AK, and US. territorries)
Liked this guide to ethical rugs? You might also enjoy:
Ethical Home Decor Brands to Curate a Beautiful, Conscious Space
Eco-Friendly Furniture to Furnish Your Home Sustainably
Fair Trade and Eco-Friendly Blankets to Cozy Up With
The post 5 Best Ethical Fair Trade Rugs to Elevate Your Space appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
As a longtime book lover, I may be biased, but I think a full bookshelf is one of the most beautiful additions to a space. There’s nothing better than seeing a showcase of your favorite reads alongside a TBR list.
A bookcase, though, can of course be used for all sorts of purposes from placing your favorite photos of family and friends to showcasing treasured vintage finds.
Whatever the case, this guide will help you find the right sustainable bookshelf for your living room, office, or wherever you like to cozy up with a good read!
So what make a bookcase more sustainable? What makes a bookshelf non-toxic?
First of all: sustainable and non-toxic are two overlapping — but distinct — criteria. And both of those terms can come with a lot of opinions and varying definitions.
When it comes to sustainable bookcases, I look for:
- Responsibly Sourced Materials: most bookshelves are made primarily with wood. While natural, unsustainable wood sourcing can be a cause of deforestation, so we want to see that the wood was from responsibly managed forests or made from reclaimed or repurposed wood. Some bookshelves may feature metal, in which case recycled materials here are important.
- High Quality Construction: sustainability includes longevity — how long will you be able to use that furniture piece before it goes to the landfill and gets replaced? Look for transparency around craftsmanship and woodworking processes. Another sign of quality is the length of warranty a company has for its products.
- Ethically Made: this one is straightforward in theory — were the people making it paid fairly and working in safe conditions? — but is unfortunately not always easy to find information. In this category, I look for transparency in practices, what relationship the brand has with the manufacturer (some produce in-house which is the best case scenario for transparency!), where it was made, and how well the makers were paid.
Ideally a sustainable bookshelf would also be non-toxic — as toxic chemical fumes aren’t exactly sustainable! But this isn’t always the case. For example, if a company prioritizes upcycled materials, they don’t necessarily have control over what inputs were part of the original materials. And sometimes a company focuses more on ethical artisan partnerships and sustainable wood sourcing, more than, say, using non-toxic finishes.
But when it comes to non-toxic bookshelves, this is what I look for. (Note that non-toxic doesn’t necessarily mean safe for all chemical sensitivities. Nor does it mean zero potentially irritating chemicals.)
- Solid Wood (where possible): MDF or pressed wood contains glue to stick the various wood pieces together, which can contain added formaldehyde. I prefer solid wood, or if it is engineered wood, I’d make sure the company is transparent around the type of glue used and/or they at least have a product certification like GREENGUARD. (More on that in a second.)
- Low or Zero VOC Finishes: most wood furniture is completed with some sort of finish to provide a protection against scratches or moisture. Many of these finishes are synthetic, and some can contain high levels of toxic chemicals. Look for a natural finish like linseed oil or beeswax or a low VOC synthetic finish.
Relevant Certifications
You’ll see a few certifications referenced throughout this guide. Here’s what each one covers:
- FSC Certified = the wood sourcing was responsibly managed; this is not a finish, foam, or textile guarantee.
- GREENGUARD / GREENGUARD Gold Certified = the finished product was tested for low chemical emissions, including VOCs, with Gold representing the stricter tier.
- Fair Trade Certified
= verifies that a factory meets standards for fair wages, safe working conditions, and ethical labor practices. - Cradle to Cradle Certified (Gold) = evaluates a product or material across material health, circularity, clean air/climate, water/soil stewardship, and social fairness.
Where to Find Sustainable Bookcases and Shelving
I’m always a secondhand first proponent, and that goes for furniture, too. While your local thrift store might not have used bookshelves, check for dedicated furniture resale shops near you or estate sales. (I use EstateSales.net to find ones near me.) You can also find gently used pieces on online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp or AptDeco.
If you can’t find something you love secondhand, and you don’t want to DIY your own bookshelf, then the next best choice is to shop from one of the sustainable furniture companies below. (If you’re simply looking for a bookstand, I’d suggest browsing Etsy for a collection of solid wood, bamboo, and reclaimed wood book stands and cookbook stands!)
Note that this guide includes affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you purchase through these links which helps us continue to run this website and create resources like these. As always all brands meet strict sustainability criteria and are brands we love — and that we think you’ll love too!
1. Medley
Best for: low VOC wood bookcases
Medley’s bookshelves are elegant and elevated, perfect for a living room. Each piece is made with 100% solid FSC-certified hardwood for the tops and sides, though low-VOC CARB 2 compliant plywood is used for the shelves.
Every eco-friendly bookcase is handcrafted in the US (California or North Carolina) and completed with a low-VOC wood finish.
Price: $2,395 – $2,995
Materials: White Maple, American Walnut Wood
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-Order, US-Made, FSC-Certified Wood, Natural Finish
2. Thuma
Best for: non-toxic modular bookshelf
Thuma’s eco-friendly bookshelf is made from upcycled wood sourced from rubberwood trees no longer being used to source rubber. The brand’s bookshelf is also GREENGUARD Gold certified.
What makes Thuma’s bookshelf stand out to me, though, is its modularity — their Pillar Bookshelf can be set in 10 different configurations. And if you start with just a few shelves but later decide you want a larger bookshelf, you can simply buy an additional shelf or two to add on to it!
Price Range: $550 – $3,300
Materials: Upcylced Rubber Wood
Conscious Qualities: GREENGUARD Gold Certified, Repurposed Materials, Adaptable
3. West Elm GREENGUARD Certified
Best for: low-tox bookcases and bookracks for kids
This furniture retailer has plenty of adorable, but functional, bookshelves for a playroom or kids’ bedroom. From cubby bookcases to mid-century bookracks, you’ll find plenty of options that are not only GREENGUARD certified, but made in Fair Trade Certifiedfactories, and/or with FSC-certified wood. Note that the company’s bookshelves are made with engineered wood, though.
West Elm also has GREENGUARD certified bookcases large enough for the adults too!
Price: $399 – $2,897
Materials: Solid Wood, Reclaimed Wood
Conscious Qualities: Fair Trade, FSC Certified, and GREENGUARD Certified Options