Whether you’re a jetsetter, enjoy owning versatile pieces, or simply prefer to keep your wardrobe to a minimum, convertible clothing is a wonderful addition to nearly every wardrobe – and it’s even better for the environment than you might think.

Multi-purpose clothing means fewer pieces, which means the possibility of less waste and unnecessary consumerism. And with the alarming statistics that follow, you’ll be glad you gave convertible clothing a chance!

The Council for Textile Recycling (CTR) is “devoted to creating awareness about keeping our clothing, footwear, and textiles out of landfills.” In other words, this non-profit organization is committed to reducing the consumption of new, excessive clothing items, and in ensuring something good happens after they have served their purposes.

Sadly, however, these incidents of irresponsible consumerism have not been completely prevented, or even necessarily halted, based on the number of shoppers still buying troves of fast and cheap fashion. This decision has placed charitable organizations, like Goodwill, on the path to becoming a dumping ground for used up, flimsy, poorly made articles of clothing to accumulate and to eventually be added back to the sea of apparel headed for landfill.

According to the U.S. EPA, “textile waste occupies nearly 5 percent of all landfill space.” It is also estimated “that the textile recycling industry recycles approximately 3.8 billion pounds of post-consumer textile waste (PCTW) each year,” only accounting for “approximately 15 percent of all PCTW, leaving 85 percent in our landfills.” Additionally, it is believed that “the average U.S. citizen throws away 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles annually.”

While it’s difficult to admit when you (or me) are that person contributing to the mounting number of waste caused by discarded clothing, when we choose to select a handful of smart, multi-purpose items (enter: convertible clothing), or even recycled second-hand apparel instead, then it becomes easier to omit the frivolous purchases we once thought were needed.

If you’re ready to reduce some of your household textile waste, while updating your closet with the looks you need, then continue reading for some exciting convertible clothing suggestions…

1. The Versalette

This piece is ultra-popular in the online shopping realm, often remaining sold out for long periods of time. With three neutral colors to choose from, charcoal, navy, and black, and with 30 different ways to wear, you can’t really beat this $110 price point. The Versalette is fabric knitted here in the USA and is cut and sewn in Denver, Colorado. It’s also machine washable, with one size fitting most. The retailer, Seamly.co, has an excellent set of tutorials and photos to show just how versatile this piece really is.

Founder and CEO, Kristin Glenn, put it beautifully on the website by saying, “Clothes matter. They are our most intimate possessions – our personal art, our expression, our protection. But there are shameful stories surrounding most of the clothing produced in the world today: tales of modern-day slavery, environmental disasters, over consumption, and extreme waste.” And this was her answer to those problems.

2. Avalon Infinity Dress

This full-length beauty is a great staple for almost any wardrobe. Easily dressed up or dressed down, this convertible piece is made from bamboo, soy, and organic cotton blends, and is generously cut to provide maximum versatility and comfort, promised to “feel as good as it looks.”

This dress is handmade to order from Yana Dee Clothing & Accessories out of Traverse City, Michigan, and even allows for customizations. The owner, designer, and fabricator has added a “unique lined layer under the bust to provide support and confidence so that you can dance and move freely.” She has also offered an array of colors to choose from, ranging from a rich orange called “pumpkin” to a dusky lavender called “frost.” And, if maxi lengths don’t work well for your body type, she sells other infinity dresses in shorter lengths.

3. Bianca Jumpsuit

According to Sew Red out of Charlotte, North Carolina, this very versatile, hand dyed, made in the USA, jumpsuit is one-of-a-kind. Crafted from soft, flowing, fluid fabric, this jumpsuit will drape beautifully over your body. It comes in a variety of earthy and grey-tone colors and features two inseam lengths.

This convertible, hand-made, head turning jumpsuit boasts extra-long straps offering a multitude of different top designs. A great alternative to a bridesmaids dress or evening wear, this piece can easily take you from day to night.

4. Double or Nothing Trench Coat

This super chic coat from Nasty Gal can be worn, as the name implies, two ways. It definitely covers the long and short of it – literally. With hip pockets, a front button closure, shoulder tabs, front and back overlay design, and button closure at the waste, this well-made jacket is – not surprisingly – sold out, but there is a handy dandy waitlist for the fashionable few who can’t live without this trench coat.

The founder and CEO of Nasty Gal, Sophia Amoruso, is helping women above and beyond the tools needed for a stylish wardrobe – this do-gooder also offers GIRLBOSS Foundation grants for creative females pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors. Each grant beneficiary is said to receive $15,000 in funding, plus exposure through the GIRLBOSS and Nasty Gal social channels.

5. Single Rose Cardigan

This is one of the most striking convertible, long cardigans around. From the YAY Designs website, this piece offers the ability to wear as a cardigan, poncho, scarf, or wrap. Made in the USA, with a rayon, poly, and spandex blend, this cover up boasts a contrasting chiffon binding edge, cap sleeves, a button closure at back, and neck and armholes. There are several colors to choose from in this one-size fits all cardigan – and check out their video tutorial on how to wear.

Share your thoughts with us on these beautiful convertible clothing pieces. What are some of your favorite ways to keep textiles and old clothing out of landfills? Do you or would you own any convertible clothing? Let us know on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Image of Woman in Red Dress via Shutterstock

The post 5 Chic Pieces of Convertible Clothing for Every Wardrobe appeared first on EcoSalon.

It’s not what you think.

Swinging singles? Just by its very sound it seems unsustainable, as if one person can have so much fun, an item should only have a single use or, god forbid, it might take more than one person to save the world. This week’s Friday Five focuses on the extraordinary number one, the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.

As a young woman you had sex just to tell the story. You traveled the world looking for romance finding it in the most unexpected places. Your life was full of it. Your cherished secrets nobody can (to this day) take away but one morning you woke up and realized it had gotten complicated – and maybe even a little crowded. Sex by Numbers columnist Abigail Wick discusses her new life as a single woman in 6 Months and Single: “My habitat is quiet, my heart is crystalline in its clarity, and my mind is no longer buzzing with white noise. It’s just me, my professional ambitions, my new friends, and an abiding sense of silence. ”

We believe there’s a special place in hell for single use kitchen products and thought a nice list with images to show you how dumb we’ve become as a society to want them was in order. Enter The Rachel Ray Garbage Bowl and Other Ridiculous Kitchen Products. If you have any of these things…we don’t want to know.

One of the hardest things you might be faced with as a woman is being single and people not thinking you’re doomed to spinsterhood, not to mention facing people who don’t understand you also don’t want children or the low sex drive that comes with long term marriage. In 9 Things You Don’t Need To Be Happy, writer Kim Derby celebrates celibacy and gives the middle finger to being forced to find a home for her eggs.

You have clothes with only a single use? That is so ’80s. Here in 2011 we like to maximize the use of our clothing to do double and triple duty and how lucky are we that more designers are jumping on the bandwagon to accommodate us. From the Video Vault: Convertible Clothing features designer Lara Miller whose Callie Cardigan made us freak out the first time we saw it in this video.

Critics warn that large-scale eco-communities aren’t all they’re hyped up to be. Shelter Editor, K. Emily Bond, writes that “despite all of your personal homesteading, composting, upcycling and permaculturing efforts, one-off sustainability is simply not enough to make a meaningful impact on the world. Rather, it takes a village to raise the world to a higher standard of living.” In Does it Take an Eco Village to Save the World?, we learn that plus one might just be one of the most empowering things we embrace.

The post The Friday 5: Swinging Singles Edition appeared first on EcoSalon.

Behind-the-scenes footage with some of our favorite indie designers from EcoSalon’s video archives.

Nowadays, designers are really having to develop their collections in a holistic way, being attuned not only to seasons and color trends, but to how versatile their pieces can be. We caught up with Lara Miller at Market in New York City, showing A/W ’11 and got her to show us a piece that does double-duty, triple-duty, and more. Enjoy this behind-the-scenes footage – we’ll let Lara show you how much her clothes can do.

We were in awe.

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