Published

1 year ago

January 31, 2025

Alice Rush

In slow fashion, we often talk about “fewer, better”. All too often, though, we focus in on the fewer part and forget about the better.

Putting the “Better” in the Fewer, Better Philosophy

There’s no question that we need to produce and consume fewer things. But if we only think about the less part of the equation, slow fashion can feel like a sacrifice.

Yet when we focus on the better — cherishing the clothes we love, caring for them more intentionally, and setting high standards for what we allow into our closets — the fewer part comes more naturally. And the experience is so much more joyful.

When I stopped thinking about how I wasn’t “supposed to” buy more clothes and instead leaned into simply appreciating the beauty of the clothes already in my closet, I found myself wanting those new clothes less.

I created higher standards for what I allowed into my wardrobe. This not only led to fewer purchases but also made me happier with the clothes I did decide to purchase. And when you have such incredible garments already in your closet, fashion’s hype machine is a lot less tempting.

To be clear, this doesn’t mean I don’t love admiring good fashion or that I never buy anything! But I have become far more intentional with my purchases.

What Does “Better” Mean?

When you have garments you absolutely love — whether for their quality, materials, fit, or unique design — the relentless churn of newness loses its appeal.

But “better” doesn’t always mean more expensive. It means knowing what you love, and having a more discerning eye.

For me, I always look at materials first. Sure sometimes this can be a little more of an investment, but not always. There are designer brands that use 100% polyester for some garments, and plenty of mid-priced brands that are committed to using natural fibers. That natural mid-price garment is a way better investment in my opinion.

I prioritize natural materials because that is what “better” means to me.

Recently, I added a 100% organic linen button-down to my closet, and it’s an absolute dream. It was one of the few new (non-secondhand) items I added to my wardrobe in 2024, and I’d wear it every single day if I could. And then when I put on a polyester shirt, I can feel the difference. (As in literally feel the difference — I sweat so much more!)

Suddenly, having one amazing 100% linen shirt instead of five cheaper polyester ones doesn’t feel like a sacrifice. It feels like a gift.

The same goes for the secondhand cashmere sweater I swapped into my closet years ago.

I used to dread winter. Then, I found this sweater and I realized that I could actually make it through -10-degree days when wearing the right materials.

A single sweater changed how I viewed an entire season! This is the under-appreciated power and potential of clothing.

For you, “better” might not be about fabrics, but about the fit or the style or even the color and pattern. If you’re not sure what you would define “better” clothing as, start paying more attention to the clothes you enjoy wearing. What’s the silhouette? The color? The fabric?

There are often patterns among your go-to garments.

Cultivating Gratitude in Our Wardrobes

One of the most transformative practices I’ve incorporated into my slow fashion journey is gratitude.

In a world that constantly tells us we need this must-have trend, go to that unique next destination, or use this skincare product to look 10 years younger, it’s not easy to pause and acknowledge when we have enough.

But knowing our “enough point” doesn’t mean we stop evolving or refining our wardrobes — it means we approach fashion with a mindset of contentment rather than scarcity.

Here are some ways to cultivate gratitude in our wardrobes:

1) Honor Our “Hero Pieces”

Do you have pieces in your closet that you wear again and again — pieces that make you feel good, confident, comfortable, or put together? These are often called “hero pieces.”

Think about what those pieces are for you and how they’ve served you:

Maybe you have a trusty blouse that gave you confidence in an important job interview.
Maybe a particular handbag makes you feel put-together even on the days you were rushing out the door.
Maybe a certain pair of sweatpants is your go-to for a cozy, restful evening after a stressful week.

Perhaps it can sound silly at first to be grateful for clothing, but when we think about how clothes have supported us, it makes sense to appreciate these pieces.

Slow fashion isn’t about deprivation. It’s about developing a deeper sense of satisfaction and long-lasting joy from the clothes we already have.

2) Turn Overwhelm into Abundance

Recently, there was a trend on TikTok where people reframed complaints as expressions of gratitude. Instead of saying, “I have too many plans,” they’d say, “What a privilege it is to have a full life.”

Some (most?) of us probably have closets with more clothes than we regularly wear. Instead of saying, “I’m overwhelmed by my closet,” we can reframe it:

“What a privilege it is to have a closet so full of clothes that I have options.”
“What an opportunity to rediscover and restyle pieces I already own.”
“What a chance to rehome items that no longer fit my life and bring joy to someone else.”

Instead of feeling guilt over a full closet, I try to see it as an opportunity — whether that’s restyling an old favorite or passing something along to a new loving home.

3) Acknowledge the Makers of Our Clothes

Behind every garment — whether it’s a handmade artisan piece or a mass-produced fast fashion item — are skilled hands of artisans, garment makers, sewists, and factory workers. Even industrial sewing machines are operated by real people.

When we pause to recognize this skilled labor, we not only develop a renewed sense of appreciation for our pieces, but we also acknowledge the (often undervalued and underpaid) workers who brought them to life.

Big fashion brands often hide these makers and the exploitative conditions they face. But recognizing the human effort behind each garment can help us shift our relationship with fashion. It can empower us to advocate for ethical labor conditions and fair wages in the industry.

Final Reflections: Gratitude as a Path to Slow Fashion

Practicing gratitude in our wardrobes is about more than just feeling good (though that is a good perk!) — it’s about reshaping how we engage with fashion.

When we approach our closets with gratitude, we shift from a mindset of scarcity and overwhelm to one of abundance and enoughness.

This practice helps us honor the value in what we already have, recognize the immense work that goes into every garment, and become more resilient against a culture that constantly urges us to consume more, no matter how much we already have.

Gratitude doesn’t mean we stop striving for better or stop curating our wardrobes. It means we approach these decisions with more care, joy, and appreciation.

And that is what truly puts the “better” in the “fewer, better” philosophy of slow fashion.

Want to get more slow fashion tips and inspiration?

The post Fewer, Better: How to Cultivate Gratitude in Slow Fashion appeared first on .

Fewer, Better: How to Cultivate Gratitude in Slow Fashion

Green Living

Earth911 Inspiration: Time Is but the Stream

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Alice Rush

Thoreau wrote in Walden that “Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in,” which reminds us that life is short and nature fills it beautifully. What are you looking for that can’t be found during an afternoon in nature?

Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click the poster to get a larger image.

The post Earth911 Inspiration: Time Is but the Stream appeared first on Earth911.

https://earth911.com/inspire/earth911-inspiration-time-is-but-the-stream/

Green Living

Classic Sustainability In Your Ear: The Ocean River Institute’s Natural Lawn Challenge for Climate Action

Published

3 days ago

February 25, 2026

Alice Rush

Turn back the clock with this classic interview that will get you ready for Spring yard care planning. A lawn may be beautiful but it can take a heavy toll on the environment, accounting for between 30% and 60% of residential water use in the United States. Rob Moir, Ph.D., is president and executive director of the Ocean River Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ORI works with residential lawn owners to heal damaged ecosystems by restoring coastal areas to lessen the destructive impacts of climate change. The benefits of a natural lawn reach far beyond reduced local water pollution, eliminating chemicals that can contribute to cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and other cellular diseases. Natural lawns are also better for local pollinators and store much more carbon than heavily fertilized lawns. If you considered removing your lawn to play a part in the battle against climate change, this interview may change your mind — a healthy lawn is a powerful carbon sink.

Rob Moir, Ph.D., president and executive director of the Ocean River Institute, is our guest on *Sustainability in Your Ear*.

The Ocean River Institute is recruiting Massachusetts communities, town by town, to take a pledge to follow natural lawn practices in the Healthy Soils for Climate Restoration Challenge. You don’t need to live in Massachusetts to participate and learn about the alternatives to the traditional, chemical-intensive lawn practices that use Roundup, a source of glyphosates that kills soil-dwelling fungi and local pollinators, and fast-acting nitrogen fertilizers. You can learn more about the Ocean River Institute at www.oceanriver.org.

Rob has contributed many articles about climate change and the history of environmental change since this interview, including:

Subscribe to Sustainability in Your Ear on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
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Editor’s Note: This episode originally aired on May 30, 2022.

The post Classic Sustainability In Your Ear: The Ocean River Institute’s Natural Lawn Challenge for Climate Action appeared first on Earth911.

https://earth911.com/podcast/earth911-podcast-the-ocean-river-institutes-natural-lawn-challenge-for-climate-action/

Green Living

7 Best Sustainable Wedding Dresses for Your Special Day

Published

5 days ago

February 23, 2026

Alice Rush

Choosing your perfect gown can be one of the most exciting decisions for your special day, but for the eco fashionista, it can be a challenge to find a dress that fits your values and style — but these brands have exceptional sustainable wedding dresses you’ll swoon over!

Using earth-minded materials like hemp, cruelty-free peace silk, deadstock recycled fabrics and vintage lace, and producing consciously, either in small batches or handcrafting each individual piece made-to-order, the brands below meet high standards for transparency, ecological sustainability, and fair labor.

[For more sustainable wedding dresses, check out this guide to secondhand wedding dress sites!]

Note that the guide contains affiliate links. As always, we only feature brands that meet strict criteria for sustainability we love, that we think you’ll love too!

1. Christy Dawn

sustainable wedding dresses from Christy Dawn

Dreamy dress brand Christy Dawn does not disappoint with their romantic bridal collection! Each piece is more swoon-worthy than the next.

Their three sustainable bridal gowns are made from regenerative silk charmeuse —sourced through BOMBYX, an innovative silk producer using best practices — and colored in a beautiful pearl silk with non-toxic dyes. Each dress is ethically cut and sewn by makers in Los Angeles earning living wages, as with the rest of Christy Dawn’s collections.

The Britta Dress and Fitzgerald Dress are 1920s inspired while the Athena Dress is a more modern (but equally romantic) option. All of these dresses are made-to-order with an estimated timeline of 4 weeks.

Conscious Qualities: Regenerative silk and organic non-toxic dyes, ethically made-to-order in Los Angeles

Price Range: $2,500 – $3,000

Size Range: XS – XL

Check Out Christy Dawn Bridal

2. Pure Magnolia

Classic sustainable wedding dresses from Pure Magnolia

Blending the traditional with the modern, Pure Magnolia designs classic-inspired sustainable wedding dresses with contemporary touches. And each dress is made in their Canadian studio by seamstresses earning fair wages from eco-fabrics, such as organic cotton and hemp silk.

The brand sources recycled fabrics whenever possible as well, and recycles their scrap fabric through FABCYCLE.

Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, locally and fairly made, recycles scrap fabrics

Price Range: $845 – $3,300 CAD

Size Range: 0 – 28

Check Out Pure Magnolia

3. Lost in Paris

Bohemian-inspired gowns ethically made by Lost in Paris

Lost in Paris crafts each of their creatively designed bohemian-inspired gowns ethically in their Sydney, Australia studio. Unconventional yet undeniably striking, Lost in Paris’ dresses are made from vintage lace and cotton.

Investing in a dress from Lost in Paris is seamless — the brand offers at-home sample try-ons, offers train and sleeve adjustments on several styles, ships their dresses worldwide for free, and even accepts returns. Oh, and, if one of their ready-made sizes doesn’t work for you, you can get a dress designed to your measurements.

Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, uses vintage lace, locally made

Price Range: $950 – $3900 AUD

Size Range: XXS – XXL + custom sizing options

Check Out Lost in Paris

For More Slow Fashion Content:

4. Wear Your Love

Ethical wedding dresses made with organic cotton from wear your love

Wear Your Love creates feminine, effortless dresses in their Northern California studio that are — in contrast to the majority of wedding dresses on the market — actually comfortable! The brand’s free-spirited designs are made with soft, earth-minded fabrics like organic cotton and each dress is made to order for each bride to their exact measurements.

There are also customizations available for each eco-friendly wedding dress such as train or no train, skirt or sleeve linings, back coverage, skirt style, and more.

Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, made-to-order model, locally and transparently made

Price Range: $680 – $1,700

Size Range: N/A; dresses are made to your measurements

Check Out Wear Your Love

5. Larimeloom

Custom-made ethical wedding dresses from Larimeloom

Based in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Larimeloom crafts exceptional custom-made dresses by hand in their atelier. The brand creates comfortable minimalist dresses from durable natural fabrics and colors them with natural or non-toxic dyes.

Larimeloom has also implemented zero waste design techniques, cutting their patterns strategically in order to minimize fabric waste.

Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, zero-waste designs, natural fabrics and dyes

Price Range: 650€ – 2,650€

Size Range: XS – XL

Explore Larimelume

6. Sister Organics

Lace wedding dresses made with earth-friendly natural fabrics from Sister Organics

Sourcing quality earth-friendly natural fabrics like organic hemp and cotton, Sister Organics creates classic, eco-friendly wedding dresses for UK-based brides.

Each dress is made to order in England, so you can select a pre-defined size, customize the length of a size, or get an entirely different dress made for your measurements.

Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, made-to-order model

Price Range: £125 – £390

Size Range: XXS – XXL + custom sizing

Check Out Sister Organics

7. Indiebride London

Vintage-inspired eco wedding dresses from Indiebride London

Indiebride’s vintage-inspired sustainable wedding dresses are delicate and romantic yet free-spirited, offering a unique collection for the bride that wants to skip the conventional wedding gown and choose a piece that fits their individual style.

The brand’s conscious wedding dresses are handmade in London using majority natural fibers and can be altered or customized to your specifications.

Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, uses many natural fabrics, locally made

Price Range: £1,200 – £1,700

Size Range: 8 – 16 (UK sizes)

Check Out Indiebride