Fashion for Biodiversity: 5 Sustainable Tips to Celebrate World Biodiversity Day

World Biodiversity Day is a great opportunity for us to reflect on our individual habits and the impact they have on biodiversity around us and globally. By making small changes to how we shop and the decisions about what we wear we can collectively make a big impact.

We're committed to promoting sustainable practices not only within our business but also in our own wardrobes and giving you the tools to do the same.

Join us in taking part in World Biodiversity Day by making a few small changes for our planet.

What is World Biodiversity Day?

World Biodiversity Day is observed annually on May 22nd as a global reminder of the crucial role that biodiversity plays in sustaining life on Earth.

So yeah, it's a pretty big deal.

World Biodiversity Day is one of many environmental days throughout the year, like Earth Day on April 22nd, World Ocean Day on June 8th, and World Environment Day on June 5th. If we had it our way, every single day would be a global celebration of the planet and a reminder for us to take care of it.

The word “biodiversity” refers to all of the plant and animal species on the planet as well as their habitats and ecosystems.

The day was established by the United Nations, and aims to increase awareness and understanding of how important biodiversity conservation is.

Each year, the theme for World Biodiversity Day changes, focussing on a different aspect of conservation and sustainable development. From protecting endangered species to preserving fragile ecosystems, the theme is carefully chosen based on an urgent need for collective action in one aspect of our planet's health and well-being.

For the fashion industry, World Biodiversity Day highlights the huge impact that the industry actually has on biodiversity.

From the amount of raw materials that are used and wasted in production processes to the damage that bad waste management has on our water systems and land, pretty much every stage of the fashion supply chain has a considerable impact on the planet.

The good news is that this means that every stage of the supply chain can also support conservation efforts and make changes that allow for a healthier world.

As shoppers, we have the power to influence the fashion industry's practices and promote sustainable solutions. That’s why a day like World Biodiversity Day is so important, for us to educate ourselves and the people around us on how we can all make a difference.

This year, the focus of World Biodiversity Day is “We're Part of the Solution.”

The theme really highlights the urgent need for collective action. We have a role and responsibility as individuals, communities and businesses, to protect our planet’s biodiversity.

We are all interconnected with the Earth, and it's our job to safeguard our planet for future generations.

Feeling geared up to make a change?

Here are a few ways you can adapt your fashion choices to be more planet-friendly and support biodiversity.

Tip 1: Choose Organic and Biodegradable Materials when buying clothes

Biodegradable materials like organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo break down naturally, unlike their synthetic counterparts, and cause less damage than non-organic fabrics.

According to the Environmental Justice Foundation, cotton production accounts for 2.4% of the world's crop land but uses 6% of global pesticides, many of which are harmful to biodiversity. Conventional cotton farming practices, which often involve the use of pesticides and intensive irrigation, contribute to soil degradation and biodiversity loss.

Choosing clothes made from organic materials instead means that at the end of your outfit’s wearable life, these clothes will do less environmental harm.

Organic usually means that something doesn’t use harmful pesticides, but reading up about a brand will usually help you figure out if they’re actively avoiding using them. (If you can’t find anything that mentions their processes, it probably means a brand uses pesticides).

The textile industry is one of the world’s largest water polluters, largely due to textile dyeing and finishing processes. According to the World Bank, around 20% of global industrial water pollution comes from the treatment and dyeing of textiles.

Choosing fabrics that are undyed or naturally dyed can also have a huge positive impact too.

Tip 2: Embrace Pre-loved and Circular Fashion

Choose circular fashion over fast fashion to reduce your environmental impact.

Absolutely zero new textiles or fibres need to be used for you to obtain “new” pre-loved clothes, which makes it even better for the environment than buying something sustainable brand new.

By extending the life cycle of existing clothes, you're contributing to biodiversity preservation.

That means shopping the things already in your wardrobe - we bet there’s a lot in the back that you’ve forgotten about! And also shopping other people’s pre-loved clothes too.

The good news is that embracing circular fashion isn't expensive.

In fact, when you shop somewhere like our website you can actually get your favourite brands for a fraction of the price, and find clothes that look just like new - just without the environmental impact.

You can also support circular fashion by choosing brands that have circular processes embedded into their companies. Brands that use recycled fabrics and garments, or designers who upcycle, are a great place to start.

Tip 3: Embrace the Cold Wash

By washing your clothes at a lower temperature, you minimise the release of microfibres, which are the tiny plastics that escape from synthetic clothing and make their way into our oceans and rivers, causing harm to the ecosystems there.

You can buy special filters or bags (like Guppy Bags) to capture those synthetic fibres during your wash cycle too, if you want to go that extra step.

Swapping to an eco-friendly laundry detergent is another great way to be a little bit more gentle on the planet when you wash your clothes. All of the nasty chemicals from standard laundry detergent also end up entering our waterways, which as you can imagine is not very enjoyable for fish and other sea creatures.

Tip 4: Explore "The Fashion Pact"

"The Fashion Pact" is an initiative that was created by the fashion industry to address its impact on biodiversity.

It’s a great way to discover how many leading fashion brands are committing to biodiversity preservation via sustainable practices and innovation. Each brand or company that’s pledged to take part is taking action, so you can support the good guys when you shop, and not get sucked into greenwashing claims.

They also have a pretty interesting journal, where you can read about biodiversity and the good stuff they’re doing.

Tip 5: Educate Yourself and Spread Awareness

The more we know, the better we can make choices that are educated and protect our planet.

Lots of people want to make a difference to the planet with the way they live their lives, but just don't know how easy it can be. Don't underestimate the power of sharing your knowledge with friends and family - plus your social media followers. If you find something interesting, chances are the people around you will too.

Sharing can raise awareness that has a ripple effect. Why not start by sharing this blog post with someone you love?

Tip 6: Look for Ethical and Transparent Practices

It doesn't have to be scary to be someone who takes matters into their own hands when it comes to the preservation of our planet. In fact, being an advocate for ethical and transparent practices is really just being someone who questions before they buy, and holds people accountable.

Some of the questions you can ask (or search) before choosing to purchase from a brand:

Do they have any certifications like B Corp or Fair Trade?

These ensure transparency and accountability in their production processes which means they're definitely a brand that cares about the planet.

Where do they source their products from?

Brands that work ethically will strive to share information on their website about their sourcing and their production process. If this is something you struggle to find any information about on a brand's website, then that's probably because they're trying to hide something.

Look for details about their supply chain, like where things are made, their factories and facilities that they partner with and any efforts to trace the origins of their raw materials.

Do they support philanthropic or social causes?

Look for information about the ways your favourite brand gives back. Maybe they work with local communities near you or where their clothes are made, or support social or environmental causes.

Have they won any awards or received recognition for their ethical and transparent practices?

Awards and accolades are a good way to find out how committed a brand is to sustainability and transparency.

When we demand transparency from the fashion brands that we love we're prompting them to make better decisions for people and the planet. By showing that their customers really do care about where their products come from, we can drive them to make positive change.

Hopefully, we've inspired you with a few easy ways you can make changes that will have a great impact on the planet. From tweaking your wash cycles, to shopping pre-loved, and asking questions, it can be simple to make a big impact.

What changes are you going to make?

Shop our top pre-loved picks here, and make the next thing you buy a circular choice.