Updating my Closet to Mostly Natural Fabrics
So this process of updating my closet started as many do… with the nagging thought in the back of your mind that you need to organize your closet. And like most projects, at least for me, since it’s not a fun project, it got shoved onto the back burner and I procrastinated for a long time.
The Start
The turning point that pulled the project from the back burner was actually finding out via the internet how many micro plastics and icky things are in synthetic fabrics. As I began to research this, I thought to myself – “I know I have some polyester and synthetic fabrics, but I’m sure it’s less than 50% of what I have”. So, for fun, I checked the tag of every article of clothing I own.
Suffice it to say, I was horrified when I discovered that my clothing was 95% synthetic. So I determined to update my closet to a percentage I was comfortable with, which would be at least 80% natural fabrics.
The Process
To make room for the natural fabrics, I purged the majority of the synthetic ones. This actually freed my decision making significantly. Before, I would go through my clothes with recommended guidelines like “do you wear it? how often?” or “does this make you feel good, look good?”. You know, I’m sure you’ve heard and done the same. But I always make excuses. “No I don’t really wear it but I love how it looks and I’ll try to wear it more”. Newsflash. I didn’t. And the clothes would just sit in my closet or dresser unworn. Changing the guideline to “Is it fake?” really helped. Instead of making excuses, it freed me to let go of clothes that I barely or never wore.
Something I really had to fight within myself was my own “all or nothing” mentality. As I went through my clothes, I came across special or sentimental items that were synthetic. Rather than allow my mindset to continue putting items in that “donate” box, I made myself pause and remember that I’m shooting for 80%, not 100%. It helped me keep a few pieces that I truly love. Also, many of my favorite sweaters and shirts were cotton blends. I decided that if I really liked the piece, and/or it was over 50% natural fabric, it could stay. Honestly, especially in jeans, I prefer a little stretch in the fabric, which means at least some elastane. I’m OK with that.
The Result
I have never checked tags on clothes before, and I’m sure I looked crazy going down the aisles checking the tags. Something I was surprised to discover was just how many 100% cotton clothes I found at my small town thrift shops. I’ve also found some nice linen pieces in the larger towns close by. Something that excited me recently was finding some nice wool shirts and a quilted cotton jacket on a free table here in town.
The nice thing about updating my closet, besides it being slimmer and more organized, has been that I feel that I’ve really been able to tune in to my own style and discover different looks. I’ve found that I really like linen and I’m looking forward to adding more of it to my wardrobe. I like square necklines and ruffled 3/4 sleeves. I’ve been trying to add all-season pieces that can be layered and worn all year. To keep things slim and manageable, I’ve also been practicing a “one in, one out” kind of approach. As I find a new piece, I know that something has to go in order to make room.
I’m not trying to seem pretentious by sharing this, or disparage wearing synthetic fibers; I’m only sharing because this was a pretty big project that I completed. I’m much happier with my wardrobe as a result. For the first time in a long time I feel my clothes fit who I am and who I want to be in equal measure. If this encourages you, great! If nothing else, I hope you read it as an update from a friend. 🙂
Until next time,
Ariel
