Today I’m sharing my favorite splurge denim brand, AGOLDE Denim that’s also a more sustainable clothing option.
T-Shirt // Jeans (recommend sizing down 1 size from your normal) //
Sandals (FYI these aren’t super comfortable and I wish I would have sized up 1/2 size) //
Something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately is sustainability. With more and more press about just how bad fast fashion is for the environment, it’s been making me do a lot of thinking. Will I still wear that shirt or dress a year from now; two years from now? Most of the time, the answer for me has been “no.” I follow a couple of ladies on Instagram – Elana & Jessann who have opened my eyes to what it means to make better decisions when it comes to the things I’m purchasing – whether that’s clothing, food, or everyday products. I highly recommend following both of them if you’re interested in reducing your carbon footprint. I’ll admit that this is something I’ve only more recently started caring about which is sad to admit but we all start somewhere.
One of the reasons I’ve reached towards AGOLDE (pronounced ay-gold-ie) Denim is because they have more sustainable practices than a lot of other companies out there. For one, they’re a United States company and are based in Los Angeles. They “use only the most innovative fabrics sourced from around the world and facilitate all product development to create denim of the highest caliber.” They also make GREAT denim. The washes, fit, quality, everything, are so good. I think they thought of it all. This past year I realized that rather than owning 10 pairs of so-so denim, I’d rather own less pairs that are super high quality and will last me for years to come.
The first time I purchased AGOLDE was actually by chance. A couple years ago, Aritizia was running a sale and I noticed they had a pair of jeans in my size that were originally $188 and cut down to $60. I hadn’t really heard of the brand before but thought that with a deal like that I it had to be good and that’s when the love affair started.
One thing I want to briefly touch on is that sustainable clothing comes with a price. It’s not cheap. For myself (and most people), this is a splurge. I don’t make the purchase lightly. It takes weeks and months of going back and deciding whether I truly need the item or not. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve definitely made my impulse purchases through the years, but when it comes to something that is a splurge, I try to purchase in a smart way and only purchase if I truly need the item.
I just wanted to get that out of the way because I never want to seem out of touch on here. Many ignore the fact that purchasing sustainable clothing comes with a certain privilege because of a financial situation you’re in to be able to do so. I work hard for what I have, but two years ago these are purchases I never would have been able to make because of the financial situation I was in at that time, so I do recognize that while you may want to be doing better, you may not always be able to.
This brings me to my next point which is the idea some have of your wardrobe needing to be “all or nothing.” That “your entire wardrobe needs to be made up of sustainable brands.” I don’t believe that’s true at all. I have seen accounts shaming people for this and I actually resent it. Frankly, we’re all out here doing the best we can. Simply purchasing one item that is more sustainable and that you’ll wear for years to come is a smart decision that makes an impact. For me, I have started with denim.
When I need a new pair of jeans, I’ve been trying to purchase pairs that will last me for years to come. AGOLDE Denim has been one of my absolute favorite brands I’ve tried, which is one of the reasons I wanted to finally share on the blog. I’ve been continuing to purchase from them when I need something new that’s in the denim category. I still purchase from fast fashion brands for things like tops and dresses because I’m not currently in a situation where I could comfortably afford to DO IT ALL. And that’s okay! I don’t think we need to beat ourselves up over that. Again, simply swapping out one item makes a positive impact.
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Tips/Good to Knows for Purchasing AGOLDE Denim:
- Size down one size from your normal size
I find that their denim runs a little bit on the larger side and also stretches as you continue to wear it. I had a pair I recently purchased that I thought WOW, I don’t know why I sized down. After 3-4 times of wearing them, they fit perfectly so I was really happy that I had continued to size down. If you’re in between sizes (I can be a 4 or a 6, size down). - Aritzia runs sales constantly
Aritzia is one of the few retailers that carries AGOLDE where the denim goes on sale. I check almost weekly to see if I can find a good deal! I recommend checking often and if you do see your size on sale, purchase quickly because sizes sell out fast. - Don’t wash as often
Because these aren’t really “stretchy” jeans, I don’t wash mine very often (🙊) because I’m not needing to shrink them back like you would a pair of strechy jeans. These are a thick denim (like most pairs of Levi’s) and don’t lose their shape which I like. - AGOLDE Denim has buttons Not zippers
As an FYI, all of AGOLDE’s shorts and jeans are button fly, not zipper. It might take you an extra minute in the bathroom compared to a zipper, but I find that the fit with the buttons is just as good, if not better than a zipper fly.
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