Warm Yourself, Not the Planet
How to keep warm, while staying green
Come winter season, many people start shopping for clothes that will keep them toasty warm. To avoid that winter chill this holiday season, spend your dollars on affordable, sustainable clothing while saving energy. Follow these tips to learn how to be a greenie, even under the snowfall.
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When shopping, consider these guidelines:
Sweaters
Wool and heavy cotton sweaters are best for insulating your body against the cold weather. If you prefer a fleece sweater look for those that are made out of recycled fibers, like Patagonia’s recycled polyester clothes. - When washing your sweaters, remember to use eco-friendly detergent and to let them air dry when a bit moist. Shrunken sweaters are never in style.
Pants
- Keeping your extremities warm and snuggly is a must, especially in the snow. If you live in a very windy and wet region, invest in water resistant pants. Keeping dry will limit the amount of clothes changes you have to make and this will ultimately decrease the amount of energy you will use on washing your clothes.
- Pants made out of recycled or organic fibers are always easier on the environment because they require little energy and no pesticides to produce.
Undergarments
- Ask any winter athlete and they will tell you, the proper foundation to any winter outfit is adequate undergarments. If you are planning to spend a great deal of time outdoors, make sure you are wearing thermal leggings. Leggings come in all types of fabrics and lengths.
- When shopping, buy those made out of organic fabric and avoid purchasing those that are loose fitting. Loose leggings will allow the cold air to travel between the fabric and your legs.
- If you can’t find leggings, think long-johns.
Coats/Jackets
- Before you buy a new coat, try reinventing any coats you may already own. Replace the buttons, change out one trench coat belt for another, or even swap coats with a friend or family member.
- When you finally decide there is no hope for that old coat and truly need a new one; shop green. Look for coats made of natural fibers like organic cotton and linen, bamboo fabric, or hemp.
Boots
- If a way to stay dry and remember your childhood is appealing, try a pair of rubber boots. Unless you’re running in them for extended periods, they should last a long time and can be recycled when worn out.
Scarves
- Scarves come in a wide variety of styles and eco-friendly materials. Choose scarves that are made from materials such as hemp, linen, organic cotton or wool.
Gloves
- Protecting your hands from the cold is very important as your hands release heat very quickly. When choosing gloves, pick those that are made from organic materials.
Hats
- Your head is the major heat-releaser of your body, so wear a hat that covers your whole head, including your ears, during chilly temperatures.
Top tips:
Layer. One of the best ways to stay warm in winter is to layer. The layer closest to your skin should be made out of materials that soak up moisture to prevent sweat from cooling down your body. The next layer of clothes should be made out of materials that insulate, such as organic cotton or wool. The outside layer of clothing should be waterproof. Depending on the temperature, you can wear as many or as few layers as necessary.
Do it yourself. Who says clothes need to be bought? Gloves, hats, scarves, and even sweaters can be fun, relaxing DIY projects. You can find knitting tutorials online. Just make sure to choose organic yarn made from natural fibers.
Thrift stores. Besides choosing eco-friendly clothing this winter, you can also decrease your carbon footprint by buying clothing at thrift stores. Choosing to shop at thrift store eliminates the energy needed to manufacture and ship new clothes. Not only is recycled clothing helpful to the environment, it is beneficial to your wallet.
Online shopping. Shopping online can be eco-friendly and convenient. When shopping for clothes online, skip the big retailers; buy second-hand clothing direct from sellers instead. Forums and marketplaces, like eBay, are filled with people selling their old clothing. Just make sure the seller does not have negative reviews.
Avoid fur. The manufacturing process of fur is a very extensive one. The production of fur entails agriculture, pesticides, possibly environmentally unstable hunting and chemical processes.
Other Considerations/Common Mistakes
- Check the labels and make sure your coat is in fact green and not an explosion of man-made fabrics.
- Avoid buying a new coat at all costs- trade with friends and family, buy used or even trade it in for a used coat and resist that shopping urge at least until next winter.
- After you have made your smart purchase, consider donating your old coat. If you don’t need it anymore, someone else may.
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Benefits…
- …to your health
Staying warm this winter in sustainable clothing will keep you healthy as you will be less susceptible to catching a cold.
- …to your wallet
Buying recycled clothing or making your own accessories this winter will save you more money than if you buy new clothing.
- …to the Earth
Choosing organic clothing free from pesticides decreases the amount of these harmful chemicals released in the environment. Also, your carbon footprint will decrease if you buy recycled clothing.
Learn More
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree…
Indoor Heating by a Concrete Wall
December 9th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Awesome new article!
December 9th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
I like the sweater the girl is in the picture, it’s cute
December 9th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Ha. Cute article.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Another important thing to consider is the fire retardant capability of various fabrics and products. Personally, I think it’s unnecessary and can be health hazard… so you may what to do research before you buy and electric blanket.
December 10th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Patagonia has an awesome line of outdoor clothing and gear– and all their stuff is made from recycled or sustainable fibers. I love shopping on their site– they have a lot to choose from!
December 10th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
I think that buying a lot of expensive clothes like Patagonia is really pointless! This is like a case of Corono’s “cell-phone naturalists.”I don’t think you have to wear expensive stuff like Molly said to enjoy being outdoors or being green.
December 10th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
HI. I think this is a cool article because I’m not a big fan of paying a lot for my heating bills come winter! And most people forget that you should wear warm clothes come winter… not blast the thermostat on 80F and walk around in a tshirt!
December 10th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
most imprortant, i think this should have been up top… is that the most heat escapes from our heads. hats are so important. i see moms letting their kids walk around in the snow WITH NO HAT. i call that bad parenting!
December 10th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
note to self: buy a wool clothing! i hated that stuff when i was little, but it’s really really warm and comfy
December 10th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
EVERYONE, REMEMBER THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU WEAR SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING AND USE ELECTRIC BLANKETS… WHEN YOU WASH THE USE BIODEGRADABLE AND ECO-FRIENDLY CLEANING DETERGENT. IT’S IMPORTANT TO CLOSE THE LOOP! I LEARN THIS OVER ALL ‘OPEN/CLOSED LOOP’ CONCEPT FROM A BOOK CALLED THE STORY OF STUFF… READ IT, LEARN HOW TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE WITH THE BASIC THINGS!
December 11th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
its so funny because i remember growing up my dad was always telling us to put on sweaters instead of turning up the thermostat. dads. who knew they were green too?
December 13th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
LOVE THE ARTICLE
Very great idea. I live in wool socks, Alpaca sweaters, and hats!!
Check out this great site for Stylish Alpaca accessories to keep you HOT on a Cold day
http://www.GREENOLAstyle.com
January 15th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
i swear are i read these articles, its all i think about. i stopped turning my heater on and just pile on the sweaters- at night i just add more blankets.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
Ive always done this
February 4th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
i cant wait to see what you have in store for summer articles