You may already know the phrase reduce, reuse, recycle, but according to Fashion Takes Action founder Kelly Drennan, there are four new Rs to consider.
As Earth Day approaches, and in an effort to be mindful of your environmental footprint, Drennan says there are extra measures after reuse and before recycle that can help limit our consumption of things such as furniture, toys, plastic packaging, and more.
Here are the 7 Rs to consider:
REDUCE
âReduce is the number one most important thing that we have to do, we have to stop buying as much stuff,â Drennan told Âéśš´ŤĂ˝ Your Morning.
Reducing the amount of things we purchase is the first step, Drennan says. Giving in to fast fashion will do the environment more harm than good when we buy cheap things just because they are on sale.
REUSE
Drennan says to reuse, we should be keeping and wearing our clothes for long as possible.
Some ways to efficiently reuse includes buying second hand, going to a clothing swap or donating to family, neighbours or thrift stores.
The lifespan of garments are much shorter nowâDrennan says the average garment is only worn seven times before itâs thrown awayâshe encourages consumers to find creative ways to make their garments serve a second or third purpose.
REPAIR
âLearn how to sew the hole in the toe of your sock or a button that falls off,â says Drennan.
Drennan says garment care is also a form of repair because the better we take care of our garments, the less likely theyâll need to be repaired.
She recommends getting rid of stains right away and washing clothes less so colours donât fade and microfibers donât shed, meaning garments will last longer.
REPURPOSE
Simply turning something old into something new is a great way to repurpose, says Drennan.
Thereâre two ways you can do thisâeither âupcycle,â by taking an old stained t-shirt and turning it into a tote bagâor âdowncycle,â by turning the same t-shirt into cleaning or painting rags to use around the house.
âAs long as youâre keeping it out of the landfill, thatâs the most important thing,â says Drennan.
RENT
For a special occasion like prom, graduation, or a wedding, itâs better to opt for renting a garment for a fraction of the cost, says Drennan.
âThe great thing is, you can also get designer dresses that would cost hundreds of dollars, but renting [costs] a really low price,â explains Drennan.
RESALE
There are many apps at our fingertips like Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, Depop and more that are great resale platforms, according to Drennan.
âI've got this really great group in my community of over 2,000 women constantly reselling their clothes,â she said.
Drennan adds itâs a great way to recoup some of the costs in case youâve invested in some clothes and donât want to donate them.
RECYCLE
Drennan says when a garment can no longer can be reusedâwhether itâs shredded, torn, or stainedâthen recycling is the last resort.
There is no blue bin for clothes, and itâs important to donate to places that have a recycling program.
She says when donating, put all the things that you want to recycle into a separate bag and label it ânot for resale.â