Sustainable Swaps: Our 4 Tips on How to Dress Sustainably

In recent years, we have become more conscious than ever about reducing our impact on the environment. But did you know that the fashion industry is one of the top polluting industries in the world? We can all make more of an effort to dress sustainably . Sustainable clothing encompasses items that are created and consumed in a way that protects the environment and the people that produce the garments. 

The pressure to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle can seem overwhelming, however here at TENA we have four easy tips to ensure that your wardrobe is as sustainable as possible moving forward. Plus, we’ve included information on our washable underwear range for women, featuring pants that are not only stylish but also produce less waste.  

Sometimes we can get a bit carried away when clothes shopping, leaving our wardrobes overflowing with things we’ve never worn. As such, we’d recommend only keeping pieces that you are genuinely going to wear regularly. This is easier said than done, but we do have one golden rule: never EVER throw clothing away. You don’t want your clothing to end up in landfill, producing harmful greenhouse gases.

Instead, choose to donate clothes to charity, re-sell your clothes online or even organise a clothes swap with your friends. These options are the best sustainable swaps  to ensure that your clothes will have a second life. For items with unrepairable holes and unfixable stains, look for recycling schemes specifically for those items where possible.

Whether it’s a family barbeque or a wedding, many of us are guilty of using an occasion in the diary as an excuse to buy new clothes. If you really must wear something that no one has seen before or you really do have nothing to wear, try to rent clothing instead. This way, you still get your stand-out fashion moment, but you can return your outfit afterwards rather than putting it in your wardrobe and forgetting about it. 

By using clothing rental platforms instead of buying new every time, fewer items of clothing are bought and discarded. You can find out what TENA are doing to save the planet by reading our sustainable manifesto. 

Yes, you can dress sustainably  right down to your underwear. Try the TENA Silhouette Washable Absorbent Underwear if you are looking for a stylish, more sustainable underwear option that also protects you from little leaks. You can pick from either a black hipster brief or a fuller black pant, depending on your personal preference.

These are an easy sustainable swap , expertly designed to look just like regular underwear using high quality fabrics, including delicate lace. What’s more, they provide triple protection against leaks, odour and moisture for light bladder weakness. Our washable incontinence pants range is designed to not only boost your confidence, but also reduce waste, protecting both you and the planet. 

Be sure to look at our other ranges of incontinence pants and pads if you need a bit more protection. Make sure you get clued up on the different types of incontinence  so you know which products are right for your condition.

Even though we should try and refrain from carrying out huge clothing hauls, sometimes you do just need a few wardrobe essentials. If you’re on the lookout, do a little market research and find brands that are ethically and responsibly sourced. Seek out sustainable clothing brands who openly disclose information regarding their factories and their policies around wages and working conditions. That way, you know exactly where your clothes are coming from and what they are made of.  

One common misconception around having a more sustainable style  is that it is more expensive, but long term that’s actually not true. Buying better quality, more sustainable items may cost you more initially, however you’re more likely to own pieces for longer and will be buying less per year overall. Buying 10-30 high quality items per year rather than 60 cheaper ones will massively reduce your carbon footprint. You can dress up or down existing pieces based on your plans, whether you’re dressing for the workplace  or for date night . 

 

We hope you found our sustainable swaps useful, from donating clothes to washable incontinence underwear. Read more about how we make our products more sustainable with our product ingredient declarations page.