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Having a stylist is like having the fashion accessory that you didn’t know you needed. Then, after that first wear you can’t imagine what your life would be like without. Recently, I tried my first personal-stylist subscription. I’ve dabbled with others, but instantly left after reviewing my results from the style quiz or feeling disappointed by the sheer amount of polyester clothing or PVC (a vegan leather made from plastic) accessories. I’m more of an organic cotton kinda girl and my monochromatic, boho-classic style is kinda hard to nail. So, when I came across, wearwell, one of the sustainable alternatives to Stitch Fix (my words, not theirs), I was excited for the chance to work with a stylist that could recommend an apple leather handbag.
With sustainability trending, greenwashing has become more common than ever. We hold extremely high standards and only work with the most sustainable brands that are protecting the environment as well as providing fair wages and safe and secure working conditions to employees.
Erin Houston, co-founder wearwell
Shopping sustainably should be easy. But, more often than not, I have a dozen different tabs open as I comb through a brand’s sustainable initiatives and a cart that expires as products are forgotten. Wearwell streamlines the process with a roaster of sustainable brands and secondhand pieces that a stylist chooses and delivers straight into your inbox. There were just enough pieces for me to shop, but not too many to feel overwhelmed. You then have the option to pick and choose the items that you’ll want to have delivered to your front door. The selection of items picked out for me were more in-line with my personal conscious style ethos than other alternatives to Stitch Fix that I’ve come across.
Yet, while I was impressed with their curation of sustainable brands, I am still someone who spends most of my day researching and reviewing sustainable brands. So, I couldn’t help but reach out to the team of wearwell stylists to ask a few questions about how they choose sustainable brands and tips for adopting a zero waste wardrobe. I also threw in a personal style question too, just to figure out the must-haves for this season… and next.
Join wearwell for $10 paid monthly or $96 with two months of free membership if paid annually. Receive unlimited access to a personal, virtual stylist. wearwell is also part of 1% for the planet.
What sustainable credentials do you look for when choosing brands?
For wearwell, it comes down to knowing that the brands we work with are making a positive impact in the creation of their products. Specifically, we want to know that they are paying their makers a fair or living wage, and we dig into what ways they are mitigating their environmental impact in their manufacturing processes. Are they using organic materials and non-toxic dyes? Or upcycling fabric? Or do they have circularity baked into their business model? Existing certifications like Fair Trade or GOTS Organic can also be excellent validators to the criteria we look for.
Making the fashion industry more sustainable is going to take a lot of solutions, so we have to account for the fact that not every brand’s way of making an impact will look the same. That said, workers’ rights and sustainability should cut across all aspects of their business and products – not just one small collection. Every brand we choose to work with is really walking the talk.
What pieces should I invest in first when it comes to building a sustainable wardrobe?
Check out the gaps in your own wardrobe. What is currently missing or needs replacing that you know you’d get a lot of wear out of? Starting with what you need to add to your wardrobe is the best place to begin. This tactic helps to give as much life as possible to the clothing that’s already in your closet! Once you figure out what you need, think about versatility when you’re making the choice of what to invest in first. The best items are ones you can wear across two or more seasons and that you can style many different ways. To make versatility effortless, think about how layering can create new outfits or look for colors and patterns that will complement your current clothing.
How can we promote the longevity of clothes?
One of our team’s favorite quotes is “care for your clothes like the good friends that they are.” When you invest in a well-made piece, you’ll get years of wear out of it if you care for the fabric properly. Follow the care instructions, consider air drying instead of machine drying to minimize stress on the fibers (and reduce your energy use!), and opt for effective but gentle detergents that use non-toxic chemicals.
Mending and repairing your clothing can work wonders for your wardrobe! A tailor can stitch up or patch most minor wear and tear. Alterations can also be a great option for updating the look of a piece of clothing. Consider changing the hem line or sleeve length when you want to keep a piece rotating through your wardrobe, but you’re also feeling like you want to mix up your look.
What’s the best (most sustainable) way to dispose of clothes?
Start by assessing the quality of your clothes. Are they in good enough shape to be resold, swapped, or donated? If so, look for local consignment and thrift stores to resell. If you plan to donate, look for a locally-based organization, and ask them what they do with clothing that cannot be resold or given to someone in need. And don’t forget to check with the brand or place you purchased it from to see if they have a take-back program. Many brands are starting to launch their own programs for resale, recycling, and upcycling. We launched our wearwellagain program to do just that.
If none of these are viable options, ask yourself: can you upcycle that piece of clothing into something new? Can you turn your old favorite blouse into a fun pillowcase, scrunchie, or headband? If you can’t resell, donate, or upcycle, take a look at the tag to identify the best way to dispose of the item. Some materials – like organic cotton, silk, linen, and wool – can be composted if they are not blended with synthetic fibers. Just remember to remove the parts that can’t be composted, like elastic bands or zippers. If the materials can’t be composted, the last option is to find other uses for the fabric before landfill, such as turning them into cleaning rags.
What style and shopping tips do you have for women looking to make their closet more sustainable?
Taking a deep and honest look into your existing wardrobe is our biggest single piece of advice for folks looking to shift their closet to be more sustainable. It’s normal for your body and lifestyle to change, and your wardrobe should evolve with those changes. Once or twice a year, spend some time in your closet to sort what you love, what you don’t; what fits, what doesn’t – and be very honest with yourself! You’ll rediscover pieces and the rest you can mend, tailor, or donate responsibly. From there, focus your shopping on pieces that will fit within your existing closet.
After doing a big sort like this you may conclude that, well, you don’t really like much of anything in your closet, so it’s time to discover some new styles (a great and common reason people join wearwell is for help kick-starting their sustainable wardrobe!) Or you may find that your closet is relatively well rounded at the moment, with only a few specific pieces missing. If so, you can keep an eye out for sustainably-made styles. Whatever the case, this approach will help give focus and intention to your shopping habits which is what long-term sustainability is all about!
What are you shopping for this fall/ winter season?
We love styling warm weather sleeveless dresses or strappy jumpsuits for winter through the magic of layering! To get this look, try a snug-fitting mock neck long sleeve and layer it under your favorite floral maxi dress or short-sleeve jumpsuit and finish the look with some boots and a short puffer jacket. This is a great way to expand your cool-weather wardrobe options with one versatile shirt! Not into the layered look? No problem. Add cardigan or long sweater and belt over that long sleeve mock neck and pair with a pencil skirt for the office or your favorite jeans. Layering like this lets you have some real fun with patterns, colors, textures, and creates depth in a look. We’re also forever committed to wearing loungewear as often as we can and, at wearwell, we carry activewear and cozy loungewear from some truly inspiring brands. We love super soft sweatshirts that look great with wide leg jeans and layers nicely under an oversized wool duster. Just need to choose your styles and get moving!
