Be Sustainable With Clothes in Summer (Without Missing Out)

Have you been trying to be more conscious with your wardrobe but, as soon as the temperature rises, so does your impulse to hoard fast fashion clothes?

I feel you. It can definitely seem harder to be sustainable with our clothes in summer.

For example, a friend and I used to talk about how, when we were about to book a holiday, our ethical button would switch off completely. Since we were taking a plane, choosing an eco-friendly swimsuit felt like a drop in the ocean. Cue lots of fast fashion purchases.

But then I realised it’s not an all-or-nothing game: there’s so much we can do to reduce our impact on the planet without feeling like we’re limiting ourselves!

Why it feels harder to be sustainable with our clothes in summer

Moving away from fast fashion and impulse purchases can feel tricky all year round (but it’s so worth it when you get used to it!), and yet there are some “summer-specific” challenges:

• Most swimwear is terrible for the planet, particularly for the sea itself
• Fast fashion brands are tempting us with all kinds of micro-trends and throwaway dresses, and influencers amplify this FOMO (no wonder 50 million summer outfits are only worn once before being discarded... and that's in the UK alone!) 
• Trips, weddings, garden parties, music festivals… With more holidays and events, it’s easy to start thinking “I need something new for each of them” or “I don’t want to look the exact same in all the photos”
• In the heat, there are fewer opportunities to create new outfits using layers
• Thinner fabrics can last less. So, your summer clothes might break more easily (especially if they’re cheap fast fashion garments designed to fall apart)

So, with this guide, I won’t pretend these challenges don’t exist. I’ll simply show you how you can overcome them (without feeling like you’re missing out on the fun and colours characterising the summer season).

9 ways to be more sustainable with your clothes in summer

1. Get creative with your existing wardrobe

Before you fall for that impulse purchase, take the time to go through ALL your clothes. I bet you have plenty of:

• Forgotten gems
• New combinations you had never thought about, which can look like completely new outfits 

2. Focus on your summer style, not trends

Buying new and trendy summer clothes gives you a big dopamine hit. If they don’t feel “you”, though? You won’t wear them.

Instead, when you find your style, you’ll feel happier, energised, and more confident whenever you REwear your clothes. So:

• Get clear on your summer style. This could be an aesthetic (from coastal grandmother to soft girl), a focus on a specific palette or set of patterns, and so on
• Consider creating a summer fashion moodboard to get excited and stay on track
• Remove temptations. For example, unfollow fast fashion brands and influencers promoting overconsumption 

3. Think beyond this summer

From your style to whenever you buy something that’s actually missing from your wardrobe, don’t get distracted by what’s popular right now.

Focus on clothes you will rewear for many more summers to come.

4. Invest in sustainable swimwear

Most swimwear is made with virgin synthetic fabrics. These rely on fossil fuels and a highly polluting production process, aren’t biodegradable (they can stick around in landfills for centuries), and release microplastics. On top of that, fast fashion swimwear is not made to last.

So, reduce your environmental footprint with higher-quality, durable, and ethical swimwear, usually made with:

• Econyl fabric, obtained from plastic waste like fishing nets
• Recycled polyester
• Innovative fabrics like Amni Soul Eco, entirely biodegradable
• Natural fabrics like cotton or hemp

5. Watch your laundry

Coming home after a hot day? The first impulse is usually to chuck all our clothes into the washing machine.

From energy use to water and microplastics, though, doing the laundry has a negative impact on the planet. So, consider:

• Washing your summer clothes less. If they’re not dirty, use (natural) deodorants and homemade fabric freshener, leave them in the freezer overnight (for real! It’ll kill the bacteria responsible for bad smells), or let them air out next to an open window
• Lower-temperature washes

6. Be smart when packing for your summer holidays 

I promise: you don’t need a whole new wardrobe for your holiday, and no, this doesn’t have to mean “wearing the exact same clothes every day” (although there’s nothing wrong with that either).

In your wardrobe, look for items that can work together in different ways, resulting in various outfits:

• Some versatile summer essentials (like basics, neutrals, and monochrome garments)
• Strategic statement pieces
• Multi-purpose garments, like a dress you can wear when sightseeing and going out for dinner
• Accessories
• Heat-friendly layers, like a light cardigan or a tie-up blouse

7. Be mindful if you buy clothes on holiday

Avoid tacky souvenir t-shirts that (let’s face it) you’re not going to wear.

If you do want to buy a new garment when you’re on holiday, especially abroad, consider:

• Supporting local brands, prioritising clothes that are either hand-made or produced in that area
• Only buying clothes that match your style and that you’ll wear for many more summers to come

8. Remember: just because you need new summer clothes, it doesn’t mean you have to buy them

For example, have you considered:

• Swapping or borrowing them from a friend?
• Renting them through platforms like Hurr, Rent the Runway, or By Rotation?

9. Only buy sustainable summer clothes you actually need, love, and will rewear

I’m not saying you should never buy new summer clothes ever again! Just do it mindfully:

• Prioritise breathable natural fibres or, if they’re synthetic, recycled options
• Create a wishlist, wait a set amount of time (like 2 days) before any purchase, and check it against your style or moodboard
• Ask yourself, “Will I wear this at least 30 times and beyond this summer?”
• Choose sustainable summer clothes made by brands that care about the planet and their workers

On Project Cece, we brought hundreds of fairtrade brands in one place and added filters to narrow down your choices.

Yes, being sustainable with our clothes can feel harder in summer, but now you know exactly what to focus on. And from embracing your style to making simple swaps, you really don’t have to sweat it.