Slow-fashion is a catch phrase that is beginning to infiltrate the marketplace. It describes a movement and lifestyle that, among other things, promotes textile recycling, environmentally-friendly manufacturing and local production. To fully grasp what slow-fashion acolytes advocate, it’s important to recognize the appeal of fast-fashion, which is a popular global business model. By using cheaper materials and large-scale manufacturing processes, merchandisers can flood the market with trendy, low-cost clothes. It’s a profitable model. It’s also hard on the environment and encourages irresponsible labor practices. In 2015, according to a report by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, the textile industry used 98 million tons of oil and 100 billion cubic meters of water. In 2017, discarded clothes released the equivalent of more than 50 billion plastic bottles into the ocean. A significant percentage of these textiles…

While bringing dirty clothes home to mom is a classic freshman move, at some point we all need to learn our way around the laundry basket. Because, as almost any responsible parent will tell you, learning how to do laundry properly not only saves time and money, it reduces your environmental footprint. Cleaning expert Jolie Kerr helped us compile a list of tips to help keep your wardrobe in tip-top shape. Pick Permanent Press A washing machine has two main controls: cycle length and cycle speed, which determine how long and hard the machine will work. Use shorter, slower cycles for delicate clothing, and longer, faster cycles (called “regular”) for heavily soiled items. The phrase “permanent press” may lead you to think, “Oh, that’s advanced washing. I don’t need that.” But according to Kerr,…

University of Minnesota students detail how and why they work multiple jobs.

Emily Hanson’s Instagram page helps plus-sized women find stylish, affordable clothes

We are doing a series of Q&As with members of Minnesota’s NAPO chapter. This article is the second in the series. Maybe you’re going through an overflowing closet in your tiny apartment. Or your desk is acting as a place to pile your mail as you walk in the door from classes. Maybe, next semester is so loaded you don’t know how you’ll manage. Disorganization is an easy cycle to fall into, but it doesn’t have to be. If a little motivation to fix the problem just isn’t gonna cut it, a little outside help isn’t too hard to find. Thanks to the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals, you can get an outside look on which items to get rid of, how to stay organized when you can’t seem to keep your…

If it’s really time to downsize your wardrobe, a capsule wardrobe is the way to go.