Dressing Sustainable as a College Student

As a college student, I know the struggle of trying to save the little money we have, especially when it is time to update our wardrobe. Because of this, we tend to always go for the cheap stuff, but the sad reality is that this cheap stuff is made in sweatshops and creates excess waste during production. That is why I always look for sustainable options that are affordable and realistic for my college budget. Here are some of my favorite brands and alternatives to fast fashion!

Everlane

Everlane is THE place to shop for sustainable denim. They offer a wide variety of styles and washes with prices starting at just $78. My favorite part about shopping there is their transparency about where the expenses to produce the jeans come from. Aside from jeans, Everlane sells tops, bottoms, shoes, accessories, and so much more. Big fan! Go check it out!

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Tentree

Tentree offers a wide assortment of sustainable activewear and loungewear. I love how they show you how much water, CO2, and waste you are saving by purchasing an item from them instead of from a competing fast fashion brand. My absolute favorite part about them is that they actually plant 10 trees for every purchase in order to offset the effects—though minimized—it has on the environment. This hoodie is $68! Go buy it!

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Girlfriend Collective

This brand is an amazing alternative to every other fast fashion athleisure brand there is. This ribbed bra is only $48…$48!!!! Can you even believe it? They also give a sustainability report with each item. So the next time you want to go on a shopping spree at Lululemon, stop at Girlfriend Collective’s website first. Save money! Save the world!

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I won’t overwhelm you with too many brands at once, but these three are a great starting point. And, of course, shopping second hand and buying less altogether are the most sustainable options. If you want to continue to increase your knowledge of sustainable fashion and decrease your environmental and ethical impact, I highly recommend the website goodonyou.eco. This website takes your favorite brands and looks at how they fare in sustainability, and it also provides suggested alternatives with higher sustainability scores. I hope to see y’all around Waco wearing a Tentree sweatshirt over a Girlfriend Collective sports bra with Everlane jeans this fall!

Written by: Marissa Watson

Edited by: Greta Gessert

Photos from: Everlane and Tentree