You’re all about living green and making sure that the clothes you wear are eco-friendly. Your boyfriend on the other hand doesn’t spare much thought for what goes on his body. When it comes to eco-fashion, you couldn’t be further apart from each other!
Naturally, you’re tempted to make him tap into his inner greenness or at least help him grow an eco-conscious bone in his body. It might prove difficult to love him for what you consider to be a flaw. Your desires are not completely selfish – by becoming green-loving, your guy can be healthier and also help make a difference in the conservation and care of the world.
So here are some ways to get him to embrace green fashion:
Make it constructive
There’s a big difference between trying to help him become an eco warrior and telling him that his ideas are wrong. Sure, he wouldn’t know organic cotton if it bit him between the eyes and he doesn’t focus much attention on what his blind purchase of non-eco-friendly items of clothing is doing to the environment, but you can’t attack him for his choices. You can, however, try to instill positive change in him by being constructive. When he purchases a new t-shirt and you wrinkle your nose because it’s not eco-friendly, ask him if he’s ever thought about purchasing something greener. Discuss his views on eco-friendliness and share what you know about eco-friendly clothing as well as why you like it. Remember that sometimes people don’t choose eco-friendly lifestyles because they don’t really know enough about it. Or they buy into the myths, such as that eco-friendly clothing is not easy to find or more expensive than regular clothing. Shed some light on these issues so you can plant a green seed in your partner’s mind. But try to keep your ideas logical as most men respond to facts better than an emotional perspective.
Eye it out
Men are visual creatures. They respond to what they see, so let him see eco-friendly clothing for the beauty that it is. When shopping, introduce him to brands such as Lunar or Eco Trend Collection that have great stuff for men. He will see for himself that eco-consciousness can be trendy, and that it’s better for him as well as the environment.
Green his gift list
Another way to start filling his wardrobe with eco-friendly goodies is to purchase an eco-friendly accessory or item of clothing for his birthday or as a romantic gift for Valentine’s Day. This is great because you don’t have to push him to buy eco-friendly items. Rather, he will see for himself what the item is like and he will like it so much that he’ll go out and buy himself more. Green clothing gifts are especially a good idea if your man hates the idea of shopping for himself or usually just buys anything he can find without much thought into what the item contains or how it is manufactured.
Appeal to likes or beliefs
Often we embrace positive change much quicker if it speaks to our deep beliefs or values. So try to find out what values your man holds dear. Is he a vegetarian? Does he love animals, keeping cats and dogs as pets that he feels are part of the family? Does he care about what he eats and ensures that he takes good care of his health? These are examples of good starting points. If your guy cares about what he puts in his body in the form of food, for example, then he’s likely to care about what’s on his body too. If you can show him the benefits that exist in eco-fashion, such as that harmful chemicals are not used in the manufacturing of green goods, this will appeal to him. In a similar fashion, if he loves nature, you can appeal to this belief by reminding him of how eco-friendly clothing ensures the world’s resources are not taken advantage of. This will inspire his greenness to become a long-term thing instead of just a passing trend.
The Live Eco team
