wedding dresses are not in general very eco-friendly at all. they involve a lot of fabric, a lot of energy, and usually require quite a bit of shipping. not to mention that you typically only wear it once. if you want to reduce your impact on the environment while buying your dress consider these options:
1. buy a used dress. this way your dress has not been made solely for you and therefore you aren't requiring the energy to be expended a second time. if you can find a used dress locally so it doesn't require the carbon emissions associated with shipping.
2. buy a dress made from hemp, cotton, or other eco-friendly fabrics. there are now several designers that are using these fabrics regularly. double points for you if you find a used dress made from one of these materials. check out www.thecottonbride.com and or www.naturalbridals.com for some beautiful dresses.
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| From Natural Bridals (for just a little more than $1,000) |
4. rework your mother's dress. this isn't always a possibility, but i've seen some really neat ones done!
bridesmaid dresses are also often worn only once. i again suggest checking for natural fibers and try looking in typical department stores or off the rack stores so the dresses are made with wearability in mind. you might just find a dress that your bridesmaids will be willing to wear again!
tuxedos/suits- renting tuxes is actually rather eco-friendly- nothing new is being made for each male in your wedding party. another option is finding something that everyone can buy and wear again. there are suits and tuxes made from natural fibers as well.
think about selling or donating your wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses after the wedding. if someone else gets a use out of it it's one less new dress that needed to be ordered and made!
this post got a little long so stay tuned for eco-friendly parties part 3 where i'll discuss centerpieces, place cards, etc.
