We’ve all shopped on Asos, Wish, or AliExpress at least once in our lives… but let’s be honest, these apps are the epitome of what is wrong with fast fashion. You’ve probably heard of it before, fast fashion and the quick renewal of clothes, new collections every two weeks, probably made somewhere in Asia where environmental laws are not respected, let alone human rights. Now it’s hard to resist the temptation of the last trend, or the appeal of a ten euro (fake) Thrasher jumper on Wish. But this fast consumption is hurting the planet more than you’d think. If you want to satisfy your shopping addiction but stay eco-friendly then this article is for you. Here are some of my top sustainable apps (because no one should stop being a fashion icon)
- NUW
NUW is an app founded by an Irish entrepreneur, Aisling Byrne, who decided she had enough of fast fashion. At first it was just a lending app on which you could borrow clothes from the community, but it developed and now has a SWAPPING SHOP ! It takes three minutes to start: create an account, upload something you want to get rid of, get a token, and you’re ready to swap. You heard me, that easy. The subscription is FREE and once you’re in, you’re not just swapping clothes with strangers, you become part of an amazing community of like-minded women. It’s size inclusive, has all kinds of styles and more importantly, sustainable!
- DEPOP
You probably heard of Depop before, but just in case you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Once again, this app allows you to get rid of what you don’t wear anymore, and buy from other users. This app has a lot of vintage and brand clothes, it’s amazing if you want to renew your wardrobe at a low price, and the big plus is the aesthetic. It has an Instagram vibe that makes your clothes look like you’re influenceur, and you can buy from all over the world.
- VINTED
The concept is the same as Depop – upload the clothes you don’t want and buy some new second hand ones. I tend to prefer it to Depop because it has a broader range of styles and brands, also it has partnerships with lots of shipping companies so it’s always safe to send and receive your articles. The subscription is also free, and you can use it almost all over Europe. It’s not only about clothes as well, you can buy jewelry, make-up, and houseware, all in all – it’s sustainably amazing.
- PRIVATE GREEN
Private Green is an app resembling Veepee in some ways. It’s basically an outlet… of organic, eco-responsible, fair trade products! Every week you have new sales dropping, ranging from PUKKA TEA, to menstrual underwear, organic non-perishables, sustainable kitchen supplies, organic/responsible clothes, etc. It’s great because it’s an outlet, so everything you can’t buy because you student-budget does not allow you originally, you can get it cheaper on this app!
- UNITED WARDROBE
This is (another) clothes app on which you can upload and sell your used clothes, and buy some other second hand clothes. This one is very much high-brand, designer clothes, so it’s slightly more expensive, but it’s still cheaper than buying new, and more importantly, it’s more sustainable.
There are hundreds of swapping apps for people all around the world, Serial Swappers in Cardiff is about to launch, ThredUP is an amazing app/website for people in the US or Canada that only sells second hand clothes as well, the possibilities are endless. Don’t forget that when the shops reopen, you can always go thrift shopping on a Sunday with a friend (I know how it sounds but trust me, it’s fun) if you’d rather avoid a day in Zara or H&M. Sustainability is so important, the planet needs us to be more responsible with our consumer behaviour and it starts with the simplest things, like having a more eco-friendly wardrobe. And if you’re not convinced yet, think about all the money you’re gonna save (to buy more chai lattes in your keepcup for example) and the amazing people you’re gonna meet!