Finally South Africa has caught on to the latest trend… Sustainable fashion for kids! This isn’t just a cool, new fab supported by celebs like Stella McCartney, Sarah Jessica Parker and Emma Watson, but actually important for the future of our planet. The fast fashion phenomena is leading to millions of tons of clothing ending up in landfills, all over the world, year after year. We only realised the impact and the terrible culture of consumerism we have been “buying” into after watching The True Cost documentary on Netflix. (Something I urge every person to watch).

The world now consumes about 80 billion new pieces of clothing every year. This is 400% more than the amount we consumed just two decades ago. As new clothing comes into our lives, we also discard it at a shocking pace.

Historically, clothing has been something we have held onto for a long time, but with cheap clothing now abundantly available we are beginning to see the things we wear as disposable.

This number might not seem much, considering our world population but after further investigation I came across research done by the The World Resources Institute.We need to change our approach to fashion! Especially as moms. We are raising the future, we are setting the example and giving fashion authority to rule our worth and our wallets, not realising the impact this culture of buying “disposable fashion” has on the world, the environment and the people making these garments.

So how do we support sustainable fashion for kids?

1. Educate yourself and don’t be led by the culture to buy! buy! buy! Know where clothes are made, fabrics are sourced, by who, and in what type of conditions garments are manufactured – Know the “true cost” of what your kids are wearing.
2. Buy less! Go for quality over quantity aiming to build a closet that can be passed down to siblings or friend’s kids.
3. Trade clothes. We all love variety, so why not do “swap Saturdays” where moms with kids of similar age / clothing sizes swap out garments giving you a whole new wardrobe to play with.
4. Sell the clothes your kids have outgrown. I know we hold onto a few sentimental pieces but put the rest of the items back into the “fashion food chain”.
5. Buy pre-owned clothes for your kids.

We all aren’t thrift-store shoppers and sometimes the smell and look of 2nd hand clothing can be discouraging. Petit Fox has however taken all of that away, creating South Africa’s largest online second-hand shopping website with thousands of like-new items from trusted brands.

Shop high-quality, gently used maternity, baby and children’s clothing (up to 10 years) PLUS sell your preloved items – making some money while clearing out the closet. WIN-WIN!

About Petite Fox…

We believe all parents should be able to afford quality clothes for their kids without spending a fortune or damaging the environment. This is exactly what Petit Fox is about: offering top-class, second-hand kids clothing and maternity wear at affordable prices.

• Save up to 90% off retail prices on kids clothing, shoes and accessories without compromising on the quality.
• All purchases are backed-up with a 100%-refund policy and the team has no problem refunding any customers that aren’t 100% satisfied with their purchases.
• Buy brands you know such as Bonpoint, Petit Bateau, Gap, Levi’s, Benetton, Country Road, Cotton On, Woolworths, Edgars, Shooshoos and more.
• Every item is unique and limited so just be sure to check in regularly.

Some of our recent favourites…

A Princess Ariel dress at a steal!

Handmade, locally, this dress is such great quality. It’s incredible, with the most beautiful detail. I know the girls will get years of play from this one. And at only R295, it’s impossible to find anything even close to this quality. BEST BUY!

Brand new summer dress from Marks & Spencers.

These colours scream summer! Soft and comfy. Best of all, as Ava grows taller, this dress will become a cute top.

Trendy jumpsuit and jersey from ZARA (both also never been worn).

My favourite find! Who doesn’t like a jumpsuit? This linen stripe design with it’s pretty ties at the back has me wanting one in my own size.

We added the navy jersey for cooler spring day and this outfit gets a 10/10 from both Eli and I.

The prettiest casual denim look from GAP.

Summer and denim, it’s like ice-cream and chocolate sauce, right? Lia sure knows how to work this outfit and I know she’ll be wearing it to school, church, playdates and everywhere else!

A Woolworths summer staple.

A light, pretty dress. Easy to wear for hot summer days. The pattern is fun and for some reason instantly reminded me of a Joan Miró artwork. So… Add to cart, of course.

Great service, beautiful clothes, affordable prices, AT THE CLICK OF A BUTTON! We will definitely be returning customers and I may just be filling our very own box to sell with the changing of the seasons coming up.

Have a look at the latest trends on Petit Fox’s online store. Also be sure to follow them on Instagram, @petitfoxkids and Facebook @petitfoxkids.

Sustainable fashion for kids is only step one, next we are tackling our own closets. Be sure to check our “What we Wear” section regularly for more tips and changes we share.

* Disclaimer: This post was written in partnership with Petit Fox. As always, thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely our own.