By Caroline Yablon | Contributor

Straying away from fast fashion and investing in designer and sustainable clothing can save you hundreds of dollars down the road and help the environment at the same time.

While fast fashion provides you with cheap, trendy clothing, you end up sacrificing sustainability and quality which hurts the environment and your bank account. Here are three approaches to practicing sustainable fashion:

1. Invest in designer

I am a firm believer that less is more when it comes to fashion (but when it comes to ice-cream, not so much.)

While I have a small closet, my wardrobe is built to last because I invest in timeless quality pieces. I would rather invest in a few cashmere sweaters that I know will keep me warm for winter, last me season after season, and still hold their value when I want to sell them than having a dozen cheap sweaters from H&M.

Though it costs more money upfront, buying higher-end clothing pays off over the years. Prioritizing quality over quantity when it comes to your clothes not only saves you money, but it helps the environment save on waste.

However, I feel it’s important to note that although I do my best to invest in staple pieces, from time-to-time, I think it’s a better economical decision to purchase trendy items from places like Zara.

2. Buying eco-friendly attire

Another way to practice sustainability is by buying clothing from eco-friendly brands like Everlane and Reformation. These two brands have a reputation for striving to maintain a transparent and eco-friendly supply chain that produces clothing that is built to last.

While those brands are more on the more expensive side, cheaper stores have also started to create sustainable clothing lines. H&M, for example, has designed a line of that is more affordable and eco-friendly called their Conscious collection.

3. Thrifting

Investing in designer and buying sustainable clothes can be expensive, so thrifting is another option that is more economical for practicing sustainability without having to pay the hefty price — and it’s a fun activity in itself.

You tend to find cooler pieces thrifting in larger cities, but Waco is home to a trendy thrift shop called Clase Vintage & Goods. They do the hard work for you and scout cool vintage clothing.

Whether you choose to invest in designer and sustainable clothing or thrift, think about the long term effect your purchase will have on your wallet and the environment.