In the age of fast fashion, new clothing is only $5 and a single click away. However, the environmental and social effect of such rampant consumerism bears many hidden dangers. There are alternatives to this culture of constant consumerism, but many see options such as thrifting as too much work. Instead, here are three other ways to be sustainable based on the old saying: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. This is a great time of year to begin your path to sustainability with the Green Team Sustainable Fashion show tomorrow and Earth Day on Monday, April 22.

Reduce:

Being sustainable doesn’t mean never buying new things, it just means trying to limit how many new things you buy. Before you make a purchase, try asking yourself a few questions. Will I wear this more than once? Do I really like this or does it just fit a trend? Am I going to buy this just for it to sit at the back of my closet forever? What will I wear this with? Reducing also doesn’t just apply to things you have already bought. Go through your closet and make sure that you only keep things you actually wear. One strategy for reducing the items in your closet is to flip the hanger of an item the first time in a year you wear it. Then, at the end of the year, donate anything you have not worn at least once.

Reuse:

When you can, wear things that you already own. While thrifting is great, wearing something you already own is better. Oftentimes, your closet already contains the items you need for an event. You can also buy with reusing in mind, such as trying to make sure your items are adaptable to many situations. Reuse can also look like borrowing clothes from a friend or family member. Many of us have mothers, aunts or close friends who would love to share their fashionable items with us for a dance or casual outing. This can also allow you to try on new things and play with different styles without buying a whole new wardrobe.

Recycle:

There are many ways to recycle clothing you have grown tired of. If you are on the craftier side, clothing can be disassembled for fabric or other craft components. Everyone can learn some basic mending skills so they can fix small holes or rips to make clothing last longer. Clothing can also be donated to a variety of shelters or stores. The important thing is that you don’t just throw away clothing. Clothing can have a life even after you are finished with it, so make sure that whatever disposal mechanism you use, you are not just wasting a perfectly good garment. Donating clothing is no excuse to continually cycle through pieces, but if you are being responsible in purchasing, responsible recycling of clothing can have great benefits. Even your uniform can be recycled, as Sion accepts graduating students’ uniforms and spirit wear to redistribute to incoming students in a uniform exchange.