Sustainable Living

Today’s blog post I am launching a new section of Katie From Boston, “Sustainable Living”.  I got my degree in Public Policy and 9-5 I work in professional politics. This blog has always been my creative outlet, it has been a place to talk about my favorite brands, best weekend trips etc.

But recently I have been struggling to keep my 9-5 out of this blog. The political discourse in the country is upsetting to say the least. I want to provide more value than just posting cute outfits. I want to talk about why I shop where I do, and why I steer clear of the brands I do. I want to raise the level of conversation surrounding fashion and lifestyle blogs. You shouldn’t just buy something because its cute (all though we have all been there). I for a long time have preached quality of quantity, today I want to talk about sustainability over fast fashion.

Lets look at some facts:

-Garment dying is the second largest source of water pollution in the world

-Textile recycling rates are extremely low

-The Average American generates 8 pounds of textile waste each year (that 11 million tons of textile waste from the US alone EVERY YEAR!)

People are consuming more clothes than every before. Today Town and Country published an article about Kate Middleton’s boots, that she has had for 10 years! This is shocking because no one keeps things for more than a season anymore it seems. Now Kate’s boots are $400+ but the point stands. There are brands out there that are producing quality, ethical, and sustainable textiles.

This is something I have been trying to be more conscious of over the past 9 months. Its not going to happen over night, I’m not saying you need to run out and buy a new wardrobe tomorrow. But lets start making better choices moving forward. When you go to buy something new, ask yourself if there is something in your closet that you can make work. Take your leather boots to the cobbler for repair instead of buying a new pair every fall. The market goes where consumers tell it to. This is just an introduction to this new section of Katie From Boston, stay tuned for guides to shopping sustainable, where to donate your old clothes, quick fixes and repairs, most sustainable hotels, and much much more! Lets raise the conversation in the fashion blogger community. And remember-

Repair – Recycling – Donate