Sustainable Fashion Diary – Cleveland Ohio

Do you rent or buy your clothes? I rent! And these days if I buy, I mostly thrift. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

* FuN fAcT: I’ve only revamped my wardrobe once in my adult life and it was when I was 27. Up until then I had mostly been wearing clothes from high school and college over and over again. I figured back at 27, it was finally time to update my look and get some chic big girl clothes. ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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* NoT sO fUn FaCt: The U.S. alone sends about 21 billion pounds of textile waste to landfills every year. Eeek! Wanna know what else is nuts? A lot of what gets donated to national charities is packed up and re-sold overseas or sent to landfills, cuzzzz they get way more donations than they can handle. Only 10-15% of donated clothes actually end up at secondhand stores. Whomp.⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Adopting a sustainable, reusable mindset when it comes to clothes is a good way to cut down on wardrobe waste and save money in the process. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

For my recent trip to Cleveland to see the changing fall leaves, I wore one pair of vegan suede boots every day that I got from Amazon years ago, dresses I rented from Rent the Runway, and a hand-me-down coat from a friend. Here are my sustainable outfits I rocked in Cleveland.

* TIP: Rent a car in Cleveland for your day trips. I chose a Ford Fusion Hybrid. Whenever you have the chance, choose a hybrid or electric car for your rentals.

DAY 1

When I first arrived in Cleveland, I walked around to get acclimated to the city. I stayed at the Kimpton Schofield Hotel, a crafty boutique joint in the downtown area which proved to be a convenient central space to rest my head and access a plethora of hot spots, including the Cleveland Sign at Edgewater Park, where I snapped this photo. It was also within walking distance to a nice selection of vegan-friendly restaurants!

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Dress: Alcoolique Domenica Dress rented from Rent the Runway

* NOTE: Bad news for my fellow vegans though – I didn’t realize until just now when looking at the fabric description that this is made out of silk chiffon.

Silk fabric is made from the fiber that’s spun by silkworms when they form the cocoons for their pupal stage prior to becoming moths. So this dress is not suitable for those who abstain from fabrics with animal-derived materials like silk. Had I known, I wouldn’t have rented this.

I love Rent the Runway, but I do wish they’d implement a function that allows you to search for vegan-friendly clothing and accessories.

DAY 2

The next two days of my trip I found myself in shock at all the nature experiences surrounding Cleveland. Never would have guessed Cleveland, Ohio could be a vacay spot for nature lovers!

I was so surprised when I went there at all the options I had for mini day trips out to beautiful gardens, national parks, and forests to experience the colors of autumn. Here, I’m at Cuyahoga Valley National Park (35 min drive). Main photo spots include Brandywine Falls, Blue Hen Falls, Buttermilk Falls & Virginia Kendall Ledges⁣⁣.

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Dress: byTiMo Semi Couture Layered Maxi rented from Rent the Runway

Fabric is 100% Viscose, a vegan-friendly material. This maxi has ruffles, long sleeves, a crew neckline, and elastic waistband.

DAY 3

On my final day, I hopped in my little hybrid rental and did another mini road trip. This time I hit up the Holden Arboretum, one of the largest arboreta and botanical gardens in the United States (38 min drive). Main photo spots include the Murch Canopy Walk & on top of the Kalberer Tower.

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Dress: All Things Mochi Leilani Maxi rented from Rent the Runway

Fabric is vegan-friendly as well, made from 100% Viscose. This maxi has short sleeves, a shirt collar neckline, front button closure, and front pockets. 

READERS: Have you ever rented clothing?

* Editorial Note: This post contains a few affiliate links. Opinions expressed here are mine alone, not those of any hotel, tourism board, or fashion brand. This post is an honest reflection of my experiences 🙂 Thanks for reading!

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