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Buying clothes can consume a big chunk of your budget - especially if you have kids and teenagers. New clothes also take their toll on the planet, given how much water, pesticides and energy it takes to produce cotton, polyester and other fabrics. Meanwhile, "out of style" clothes can end up in the trash even though they still have a lot of life left in them.

As spring fashions start showing up in the mall, we're going to offer a few suggestions in Purse Alerts! for earth-friendly couture. If you've joined the One in a Million campaign, switching some of your clothes budget to eco-attire is a great way to reach your $1,000 goal!

But first, how can you make clothes last longer?

· Buy gender-neutral clothes. Young children especially are usually willing to share shorts, t-shirts and sweatshirts, or wear hand-me-downs.

· Choose styles that will stay. Traditional styles like blazers, jackets and sweaters endure and are worth spending more money on. Buy a few items in more trendy styles that can be "recycled" at thrift shops or consignment stores once they're truly passé for you.

· Shop second-hand. One of my teenage daughter's favorite boutiques is a consignment store where she rarely pays more than $15 for an outfit. She never goes shopping there unless she takes something from her closet to trade in: It's her favorite way of recycling. Plato's Closet and Buffalo Exchange are two retailers to look for in addition to the shops in your own neighborhood.

· Hold a swap meet. You may be tired of your clothes, but your neighbor, work colleague, or girlfriend might love them. Invite a group of friends over who are about the same size (or in a couple of close size ranges). Ask each to bring three to five items they're ready to rotate out of their wardrobe for something different. Each person could leave with at least five new designs that they've swapped for their own old clothes.

* Donate before you dispose. Dress for Success provides women looking for greater economic independence with business attire to wear to job interviews.

Next: New Eco-clothing fashions that Mother Nature herself might wear!
woman examining label
When should you spend your money to protect the planet - and when should you keep it in your purse?

Given the thousands of green products being introduced these days, and the vague marketing claims being used to sell them, you don't want to blow your budget just to keep up with the newest "eco," "herbal," or "biodegradable" fad - especially if the claim turns out to be more greenwashing than green.

On the other hand, genuinely earth-friendly products do help minimize your environmental impact. Every organic cotton T-shirt you buy, for instance, helps reduce the use of toxic agricultural chemicals, protecting the air and water. Moreover, the same tee waves like a bright green flag in front of conventional cotton producers, reminding them that your money is filling their organic competitors' coffers.

Using your Big Green Purse to favor companies whose goods protect the climate, eliminate toxins, keep the air and water clean, and safeguard forests and other natural places creates a powerful incentive for their rivals to do likewise.

The challenge is in knowing how to avoid the "greenwash" so you can promote more green. A few clear principles will help you identify an ecobargain from a rip-off, while getting manufacturers to transition as quickly as possible to the most earth-friendly practices available.

The Big Green Purse Shopping Principles

1) Buy less.
2) Read the label.
3) Support sustainable standards.
4) Look for third-party verification.
5) Choose fewer ingredients.
6) Pick less packaging.
7) Buy local.

What does this all mean in practice? Get more details at Big Green Purse.

We're off to the Sundance Film Festival to host the Big Green Purse Sustainability Suite. Keep up with our effort to introduce Celebs to Sustainability on our blog.

(And don't forget to share your own tips for eco-friendly clothes shopping!)

By the way, if you want to pass this information along to a friend, just click on the Forward button right below my signature.

Talk to you again soon,

 Diane's Photo
Diane MacEachern
Big Green Purse

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