Since Love Island announced they are focusing on pre-loved fashion this season, we’ve been thinking about the best sustainable fashion shopping tips… We’re here for the catchphrases, the drama and the sunshine but until 2022, Love Island fashion hasn’t been our type on paper or IRL. Focused on blink and you miss them, uber-fast fashion trends, the throwaway culture of the Islanders’ lewks has been pretty generic and championed unsustainable style. But this year, that’s set to change.
The power of the TV show – 2022’s launch was watched by a peak of 3million viewers – can make millionaires out of the biggest characters and has a huge influence on the folk (that’s you, me and everyone in your WhatsApp group) that are glued to its nightly updates. It used to go that you would spot someone on the show in a cute dress… you see it, you want it, you buy it, you got it. Without a second thought for the fact that brand new dress’s manufacture creates a huge dent in the planet’s resources, potentially causes harm to the garment makers who made it and will likely end up in landfill (in the Global South) leeching microplastics into the soil and sea.
So that fact that eBay UK has coupled up with the show to style the Islanders in epic sustainable fashion is major news. The contestants are bringing their own swimwear (plus shoes and accessories) but have a shared closet of pre-loved clothes to plunder. Spanning the decades and ranging from high-street gems to choice vintage pieces and designer finds, the clothes are all sourced by former magazine fashion director and second-hand shopping expert Amy Bannerman.
But if you’re not heading to the villa to have your holiday lewks curated for you, these are the best ways to shop sustainable fashion in 2022 and beyond…
It’s no surprise that eBay is a second-hand shopping behemoth. You can find anything for your wardrobe from a classic white shirt through to this season’s high street dresses (there’s a dedicated designer and high street Brand Outlet plus an Imperfects range where new stock, with slight defects, is sold.) The brand new Authenticity Guarantee offered on luxury handbags offers complete peace of mind when buying a cult bag from Gucci, Chanel or Louis Vuitton and you can also find the Love Island look in the dedicated Love Island hub on eBay UK.
Charity shops are obviously a rich hunting ground for pre-loved fashion and actually buying from them – and not just donating your old stuff – is essential in building a circular fashion system. How to find the best pieces? It’s a cliche, but shopping in posh areas can reveal better quality and designer items. Don’t ignore the menswear or underwear sections – you might score the ultimate oversized blazer or silk slip to wear as a dress. Use your imagination and be ready to change buttons, do a dye job or get busy with the scissors and sewing machine too.
If you have a bigger budget to spend on a specific designer find, online resale sites like Vestiaire Collective, Sellier, Xupes and FarFetch’s pre-loved page are all fashion pack-approved sources. But before you even think about spending money on new summer fits, go through your own clothes. In the UK we don’t have as many opportunities to wear summer clothes (thanks, British weather) so unless you’re booking Judith Chalmers levels of holidays, your warm weather pieces will likely be less worn than your favourite jeans and jumpers. Aim to get 30 wears out of each of your garments to lower their carbon footprint and then add in some pre-loved pieces if you feel the need to buy something, following our sustainable fashion shopping tips…
However you shop pre-loved, remember that it’s the best choice for the planet, your wallet and your own personal style.
For more from Glamour UK Fashion Director at large Alex Fullerton, follow her on Instagram @alexandrafullerton.
