Here are my tips to stay up to date with everything eco-friendly and revolutionary!

It is about time influencers, Celebrities and Conglomerations made a trend out of sustainability and eco minded-ness. It has been a long time coming, and slow-developing movement with a lot of push back and neglect … but finally has managed to align itself with everything cool.

With advocates such as Stella McCarthy and Jane Fonda, we have seen a definite leap forward and the eco-warriors are demonizing non-sustainable activity just enough that big brands have to start adapting their production methods to avoid being ousted by the growing group of consumers who will no longer shop Environmentally harming brands.

Bahrain was a little later to the draw … if we are honest with ourselves, we know this little Island is not as eco-conscious as it should be.

Meat-focused, plastic-focused and obsessed with plentifulness… it has taken a while to make sustainability materialistic enough for the lot of us to catch on – In truth, we needed the ‘oh-so-cute’ reusable Starbucks cups, and the Sustainably sourced tote bags to lure us in.

Joyously though, it appears that it is now really, cooler to be green. I now take pride in that fact, that although I still have a lot to change. I have been, coincidently, partaking in sustainable fashion, for the most part, far before it was cool.

With an utter aversion to malls, and an absolute need to have all my belongings obsessively organised, to the point where I would not welcome new items to my collection unless I knew there was an empty place for them, my relationship with fast fashion, while not non-existent, was minimal.

Here’s what I do ... just to add to your bag of tricks for sustainable fashion.

• Thrift

Now, far from the quality of true metropolitans and huge cultural hubs.… we do in fact have some thrift stores here in Bahrain.

From picking up a pair of Gucci Loafers for 3 BD a while back at one of their Vintage sales to dropping by on a weekend to scan for any lucky finds … thrifting is and has been for a while, all the rage.

More sustainable for the environment and for your clothing budget.

Check out ‘The Dog Father’ outlet in Bahrain, for a lot of hidden treasures.

• Don’t own too much

It’s not in to own it all. It is not stylish to have 17 pairs of jeggings shoved in the back of your wardrobe that you haven’t worn once, the secret is to simply stop buying. Know the difference between a bargain and an impulse buy. If you’re truly dedicated to fashion, you shouldn’t be striving for unnecessary quantity. Quality is where it’s at.

This will help you in developing a real and comprehensive style to which your wardrobe actually caters. If you’re buying every sale item that you “think you could maybe make work with your old pair of jeans that you haven’t seen in the past four months”. You aren’t creating a wardrobe that actually reflects your style … and if fashion is anything its self-expression.

Don’t lose yourself to the endorphin rush of swiping your card at forever 21 for a 4 BD jean jacket made of mostly plastic. It is way more fashionable to own a specific set of quality pieces.

• Care for your clothing … but don’t overdo it

We waste a lot of water and exert a lot of energy on a wash-after-every-wear system. I’m not suggesting you re-wear your sports bra and be ‘that girl’ in yoga, but your jeans by no means require a wash after every wear, and, if you’re already abiding by step two, you shouldn’t be washing good quality fabrics all that often anyway.

Be kind to your clothes, and don’t strip them of their colour, structure and character by over-washing.

The fashion world is evolving. An industry filled with creativity, revolution, and statements is not going to be last to the party in taking a stand for sustainability, and it will be cutthroat, gorgeous and exciting, like every other movement in the Fashion Industry.

Don’t get left behind, because this is not a fad, this cannot be compared to the likes of ‘neon-trend’ or that phase where everyone was suddenly wearing Birkenstocks and flower headbands … this trend is the new denim or Red Lipstick.

Its here to stay, its time to change. Sustainability is in.