Huge amounts of money are spent on fashion and beauty cosmetics each year to help us look good. Take an inventory of your closest and bathroom. How many personal care products do you use before setting out of the house? Has your wardrobe recently been totally refreshed with ridiculously cheap high street fashion?

Clothing and textiles account for approximately 5-10% of our total environmental impact (Source: European Commission 2006 - Environmental Impact of Products). Without action and intervention, the impact of our clothing and textile consumption is likely to increase. The impact of clothing has environmental, social and ethical implications. Before the clothes end up in our closets many processes must take place; farming, mechanical processing, transporting to stores and manufacturers and the final destination, retail. Most of the green house emissions are generated from washing and drying, processing fossil fuels into synthetic fibers and using harmful fertilizers and irrigation systems for growing cotton.

Aggressive marketing has significantly blurred our vision with respect to the beauty products we use. Companies have made us believe that our array of personal beauty products are all justified. It is thought that the average person uses about ten beauty and grooming products before walking out of their house each day. These items include hair products, deodorants, antiperspirants, make-up, moisturizers, soap and toothpaste to name just a few. Although the EU has banned many chemicals from being used in cosmetics (significantly more that the U.S.), there are many other chemicals still being used that may have negative impacts on our health.

Becoming a more informed consumer when purchasing your clothes and beauty products is an essential part of greener consumerism. Greening your closet and cosmetic cabinets can be done easily without sacrificing looking good.