All the places to get wardrobe essentials in Cardiff before shopping at fast fashion outlets

Recent protests have shone a light on fast fashion retailers, unveiling the ugly truth in throwaway consumerism and ever- evolving trends.

Fashion and its supply chain are the third largest polluters in the world, releasing 5 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. It’s easy to fall into the trap of buying something new for every event as influencers’ promotional campaigns and Black Friday sales are constantly being thrown in our faces.

The impact of our spending as consumers is much greater than we think – even locally, we all have an impact. So here are some fab ways that you can impact change from Cardiff! These suggestions will hopefully help you re-think and re-wear before you reach straight for that next-day delivery.

Re-style, re- wear or borrow

This may seem eye-rollingly obvious and frustrating if you are struggling to piece together an outfit for a special event but rummage through your own wardrobe and others’ (with their permission!) may surprise you.

I collaborated with Before Yours fashion magazine last year to showcase my favourite second-hand clothing passed down from my family to express the beauty in pre-loved fashion! Here are some of the looks:

Angel Dresses Wales

If your friends and families’ wardrobes are not quite making the cut, Business student and self-declared ex-shopaholic Angel Marie, has founded clothing rental company Angels Dresses Wales  that aims to “save the planet one dress at a time”.

Having studied sustainability at university and learned the environmental impact of throwaway fashion, Angel was inspired to start up the business which allows for a wide range of tops and dresses to be rented out to reduce consumption.

We are all guilty of wanting a new dress for a particular night out and Angel is candid about her old spending habits telling The Tab: “I want to really relate to my audience because I like wearing new outfits for nights out and I have offered a solution to do that in a sustainable way”.

It is a fantastic way to get the thrill of a new outfit without contributing to environmental damage and if you have your own clothes in need of a new home then Angels Dresses offers 15 per cent commission every time your item is rented out, so no one is at a loss!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZr3Xf1K6AS/

Cathays Clothes Swap

Cathays Clothes Swap is a group Facebook page oozing with over 2,000 local student members looking to sell or swap unwanted clothes in Cathays. It is a private group but access is not exclusive and once accepted there are hundreds of clothes, some practically brand new, in perfectly good condition, and all yours for a fraction of the retail price!

Bootysale

Bootysale in Cardiff is an independently run small business on the ground floor of the Students Union which is a physical “Depop” shop, where people pay a small fee to hold their pre-loved items and Bootysale sell them on. From vintage jackets to going-out mini’s, they have you covered and minimise the amount of clothes being left on landfill sites in the process!

If you can’t find anything suitable to borrow or swap and are looking for something to keep in your wardrobe, Depop shops are undeniably a more sustainable option to secure your desired fit.

Thrifting is not just for Levi’s or old band tees (although, who can resist!) there are thousands of items available for any event in need of a new home. Making adaptions to your spending habits by borrowing, renting, swapping or buying second hand will help reduce waste and get as much wear out of items as possible.

Related articles recommended by this writer:

• Beige sofas and inflated egos: what is was really like inside Molly Mae’s PLT show

• These are the best vintage shops in Cardiff to spice up your winter wardrobe 

• ‘PLT doesn’t care about the planet’: Protestors on being at Molly Mae’s show last night