I recently went shopping for one of my clients who needed to update his corporate wardrobe. Among all other things, he needed desperately a new belt. The one he has, an Oxford belt, was falling apart. I knew immediately it wasn’t a genuine leather belt. When I asked him about his choice, he explained that he didn’t realize it wasn’t leather and never thought much about which material to buy.
My advice is, if you really want to invest long term in your wardrobe and Image, you must buy better quality garments. And it won’t break your bank account, I promise, it will save you money instead!
Below I share with you, 6 reasons why you should always invest in natural fabrics rather than synthetic one.
1 – Natural fabrics are more comfortable.
Go for natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, silk, wool, cashmere, leather instead of viscose, polyester, nylon that won’t do any good to your skin. The feel is completely different, and your skin will thank you for it. I personally can’t stand a synthetic fabric during summertime, with the heat, the fabric cling to your skin, making you sweatier than ever. Natural fabrics on the other hand will keep you cooler in summer and warmer in winter, making them a much better investment. Besides, some synthetic components provoke skin irritation, itching, redness, rashes and allergies. I have had clients who had eczema because of synthetic fabrics. Once they switched to natural ones, they saw an improvement on their skin!
2 – You will look expensive.
No one wants to look cheap. So in order to look expensive you shall invest into natural fabrics. It will translate into your overall look. The difference between cheap clothing and good quality ones is so obvious to the eye. A keen eye will always see the flaws of poor fabrics and stitching making a person look “cheap”. The golden rule in fashion, to improve the image you portray to others, is quality over quantity, always!
3 – It’s better for the environment.
Synthetic fabrics are made of petroleum (essentially oil) which are non-renewable fossil fuels. Some of the negative impacts of the use of fossil fuels are poor air quality, water pollution, land degradation and climate change. By shopping better, you can also have a positive impact on the future of our planet too.
1.5 million tons of microplastics from synthetic fabrics are released each year into the oceans.
As many as 700,000 synthetic fibers can be released in the environment in a single laundry load.
Only 15% of clothing donated are resold; the rest goes straight to landfills.
4 – You will support overseas workers.
By shopping mindfully, you will most likely support ethical brands and indirectly overseas workers making your garments. You won’t have to worry about children in some foreign countries being exploited by fast-fashion brands such as Zara or Shein. Children are constantly exposed by those brands to harmful chemicals, dangerous machineries, extensive long working hours and they are underpaid because they are more obedient.
5 – To avoid body odour
Although there is no health risk in wearing synthetics fabrics, besides skin intolerance as stated above, there is nonetheless a risk of incommoding your social circle with your body odours. Not only are they uncomfortable to wear on hot days but you will have an unpleasant smell. And you won’t probably realise it until someone tells you. Save yourself the embarrassment and buy better clothes that last longer anyway.
6 – It’s better for your wallet
My client’s fake leather belt lasted barely 6 months, from Oxford, and costed him $80. I found him a genuine premium leather belt from leatherland.com, reversible, for only $40 including delivery. Not only it was cheaper, but it looked so much better and will last him longer, I can guarantee. Sometimes, cheaper doesn’t mean lower quality!
If you buy less and better, you will not only look and feel better, you will also save money in the long term. You will wear your clothes more often for a longer period of time. I would rather spend $200 in a cashmere jumper, that keeps me cozy and warm for the next 10 years than one in polyester, for $50, that will fringe after two washes.
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