How to Go Shopping for Fashion with a Conscience and Sustainability

It’s so easy to get swept away in all the beautiful clothing, shoes, and leather handbags we see around us. But if we may snag a bit of advice from Livia Firth, you should follow the 30-wears test. Her campaign is a beautiful one, one that promotes more thoughtfulness in our fashion choices.

 Simply put, the 30-wears test means asking yourself if you will wear the item you’re considering buying at least 30 times. If so, then it’s a go!

In addition to Livia’s 30-wears test, at Blondie Mania, we’d like to offer additional suggestions for how to go shopping for fashion with a conscience and sustainability.

- Pick pieces you can wear in any season

While you can’t wear your winter coat in the summer, other clothing and accessories can be brought into every season. Such is the case with our handmade leather bags. We offer versatility in style and design, made in sustainable ways so you can clear your conscience and carry our bags year-round.

- Take care of your clothes and accessories so they last

When it comes to clothing and accessories, you must take good care of them if you expect them to endure the tests of time. Store your cashmere correctly and wash denim clothing inside out. As for our leather bags, we recommend you store them in the dust-bag they arrived in, while filling out the interior with some padding so it upholds its shape.

 - Remove dirt as quickly as you can

To ensure our handmade leather bags look as new as the day you got them, you should aim to remove dirt at once. Using a soft damp cloth will work best, though if you want to clean it, we advise using a natural balm like Renapur balsam. This will restore a clean look to your bag and rejuvenate the leather.

 - Repair small damages rather than tossing things out

To live a more sustainable life in fashion, you should repair your clothes instead of throwing them in the bin. A good tailor or cobbler can help you if you’re not able to do so yourself. Generally, if something breaks, it can be fixed and restored as good as new.

 - Consider renting or buying second-hand

If you only need something for a short while, like a dress for an event, it may be wiser to rent it for the evening. You can also look for pre-loved options that will give these items a chance to live again through you.

 - Always go for quality, not quantity

Of course you can find cute high street options out there for clothing and accessories. However, well-made handmade pieces like our leather bags cost more for a reason. They are crafted with precision and care, made intricately by hand. As such, they are designed to last longer. By investing in better quality from the start, you’ll massively reduce your carbon footprint impact.

At Blondie Mania, we hope that you’ll choose our quality handbags made by hand from sustainable leather. We have designed each of them to last so that you will still proudly carry these bags looking like new even years down the road with impeccable style.