RAW Collected was created based off a dream. A dream of creating a marketplace where conscious fashionable consumers could shop and feel good about everything they purchased without having to spend hours researching online and shopping from multiple vendors. Personally, for a long time I had this idea of the kind of consumer I wanted to be and it took me over a decade to finally make the shift and make my dream into reality.

What I’m trying to say here is that it’s never too late to start. It’s never too late to start making small changes in the way you think about your wardrobe, fashion and really, everything you buy. 

3 Tips for Becoming a Conscious Consumer

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

How many times have you purchased shirt from a store for a good (maybe even cheap) price and after washing it one time it starts to fall apart? I am guilty myself! I used to justify these purchases because they were affordable. I was able to wear trendy items and not pay an arm and a leg for them. This is the mentality that fast fashion brands want you to have. I can’t stress the importance enough of shopping for quality over quantity. Brands who produce products for under $10 that are on trend want for their products to wear out as you wear them because that means you’ll need another item to replace the old item. And, by the time that adorable shirt you had to have for spring looks more like a dishcloth than a crop top, they’ll be a new delivery of products that are on trend for that season waiting for you.

This system is a trap we have all found ourselves in. You wouldn’t buy an appliance that falls apart after a few months, so why do it with fashion?
Purchasing items that are quality guarantees longevity in your wardrobe. Sustainable fashion provides you with well made products built from quality fabrics designed to last.    

CELEBRATE SMALL CHANGES

Going from trend shopping to conscious shopping takes time! Celebrate the small changes you make and know that each change is one step closer to a sustainable guilt-free wardrobe. I love learning about each brand that I purchase and the social causes they support. Every time I buy something from one of these brands, I know that I am doing my part to reduce waste and unnecessary consumption while supporting social causes that I feel strongly about. And that’s something to celebrate.  

REMEMBER THE OLD 

To be a concious consumer you don't have to get rid of the things you already posses. Take a trip down memory lane and shop your closet. I guarentee there are pieces in there that you have forgotten about! Try them on again and style them with your new pieces, be creative and have fun! If there are things you will never wear again, donate them or give them to your friend that admired it when you wore it last.

As you start your journey to becoming concious consumer remember that you weren't always thinking about your purchases. Encourage others to shop mindfully but do not push them. Find ways to include your friends and family to shopping consciouslly and your efforts will be contangious. We are all in this together!

Think you are ready for the challenge of Sustainable Fashion? Read our tips on How to Start Incorporating Sustainable Fashion into Your Wardrobe.