How to Shop For Sustainable Bridalwear
In the era of fast fashion, more and more brides are looking to buy sustainable bridalwear.
Even a royal like Princess Beatrice opted for a vintage wedding dress for her big day, borrowing her gown from the Queen herself. Weddings can create a ton of waste, with each wedding estimated to produce about 400 pounds of waste. There are plenty of ways to plan a more eco-friendly wedding, but why shouldn’t that also include bridalwear? At times finding your dream gown can feel difficult, you may not want to throw an eco-conscious factor into the mix. But, considering the environmental impact of your wedding dress purchase, going green for even just one aspect of your bridal ensemble can make a difference. If you’re struggling with where to start when it comes to sustainable bridal fashion, we have a few ways that you can reduce your carbon footprint with your shopping!
Buy A Made-to-Order Gown
Generally, ready-to-wear fashion is considered to be more eco-friendly than a fully stocked collection. Although that can be true, it can still produce a bit of waste due to its need for inventory. Opting for a made-to-order wedding gown instead will eliminate the need for excess inventory and the pollution of mass production. Extra benefit — you don’t have to worry about sizing because the gown will be made to your measurements, which is an almost guaranteed perfect fit!
Photography by Joe Lee Foto
Photography by Alia Roz Photography
Transitional Bridalwear
It’s no secret that a full bridal ensemble — we’re talking a gown, shoes, jewelry, undergarments, etc. can total up to quite a bit of money. Looking at your wedding purchases as an investment rather than one-time-use items is another way to be sustainable in your choices. Choose a gown or accessories that you will use beyond the wedding. This will help you invest in re-wearable pieces that you can wear for years to come, which is an easy way to maintain a sustainable wardrobe and feel more confident in your wedding purchases.
Consider the Fabrics
Check that tag info brides or in most cases the details section of a wedding gown product page. How a gown is produced does affect its sustainability, but you also want to consider what kind of fabrics are being used in the production of your gown. You want to keep an eye out for words like organic, recycled, sustainably grown, and vegan. This will indicate that the materials for the gown are sustainably sourced. Synthetic fabrics like silk or tulle are plastic-derived fibers that take much longer to biodegrade.
Photography by Joe Lee Foto
Photography by Fabiana Skubic Photography
Rent or Repurpose Accessories
If you have your heart set on a wedding dress that may not necessarily be sustainable or want to go full eco-friendly with your bridal look, think about renting or repurposing your accessories. Take a look into your closet and jewelry box, assessing whether there are any pieces you can repurpose for your wedding. Whether that’s a pair of heels you’ve only worn once or an old pearl ring you want to be fashioned into a necklace. These small choices can make a big difference financially and environmentally. Renting your accessories can also be a way to have new, extravagant accessories as a part of your bridal look that is then returned for someone else to use on their big day!
Donate Your Dress
Speaking of repurposing, if you don’t plan on saving your wedding gown for sentimental reasons, consider donating or selling it for another bride to use on her wedding day. Not only does this give your gown a second life, but it is also a great way to still be sustainable even if you didn’t buy your dress from an eco-friendly company. Some places will even accept bridal accessories, so you can donate those as well if you chose to buy all new pieces for your bridal ensemble.
Photography by Allie Miller
Share this with a bride who is looking to buy sustainable bridalwear. By no means do you have to follow every tip above, but incorporating one or two into your bridal ensemble search can help the environment. If you’re looking for an eco-friendly company to buy your wedding dress from, browse our collection of made-to-measure wedding gowns that eliminate excess inventory and mass production waste!
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