It’s the classic conundrum for eco-fashion lovers: Is “ethical consumerism” an oxymoron? Isn’t fashion inherently wasteful, and if we’re trying to reduce waste, shouldn’t we be buying nothing?

Sometimes it seems like reducing your carbon footprint to size 0 requires living in a cave and foraging for berries and nuts — not something the modern woman aspires to. It’s a point that designer Alexandre Herchcovitch mocked in his Fall 2007 ready-to-wear collection when he sent a model down the runway in an actual trash bag. But what if the goal is simply to make mindful choices whenever possible? Isn’t that an easier principle to adhere to?

Alexandre Herchcovitch's trash bag dress from his Fall 2007 ready-to-wear collection. (Courtesy of Style.com)

When it comes to addressing waste in your wardrobe, the three R’s of conservation are ever so slightly revised: reduce, reuse, and restyle. Buy fewer but better-quality clothes that will last longer; search out gently used and vintage finds; and update what’s already in your closet with a little creativity (and maybe a few sewing skills).

But conservation goes beyond the shop. EthicalStyle has previously discussed how 82 percent of the carbon emissions generated by the average shirt or pair of pants can be attributed to laundering it. To this end, some designers are beginning to approach fashion with the entire life-cycle in mind. That means not only reducing the energy and materials that are wasted during the production process, but also focusing on ways to lessen the burden of washing and caring for the finished product.

Such purchases can be made guilt-free, and isn’t shopping more enjoyable that way?

In this issue, reacquaint yourself with some of the brands that are taking steps to become life-cycle visionaries. You’ll might even be surprised by who’s caught the eco-bug.

With the holiday season approaching, many people turn to online stores like Amazon.com to have loads of purchases conveniently shipped to their door. But getting things from Point A to Point B requires cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, and fuel — see how much and what you can do to reduce packaging waste.

The secondhand clothing trade has developed into an industry all its own. Much of what is donated in the United States and Europe ends up in Africa and Asia, but a large proportion heads straight for the dumpster. See what one NGO is doing to give new life to stained, torn, and tattered clothing.