You love fashion; we love fashion. Five ways to indulge responsibly:

1. Find things you adore and wear them religiously. The manufacturing and distribution of all clothing takes a toll on the environment. So buy mindfully, spending on pieces you like so much that they’re worth it, fiscally and otherwise. When you’re finished with that genius LBD or those killer heels, donate them to a worthwhile cause, like Dress for Success.

2. Look for clothes colored with vegetable dyes. Clothes’ vibrant hues are often the result of an intense dyeing process that un-leashes chemicals into the water supply. No need to sport an all-beige wardrobe, just go for items with all-natural vegetable dyes (see the tag or inside label).

3. Leather shoes? Synthetic? Choose what lasts. Neither type is perfect: Many synthetics are made of nonbiodegradable chemicals; leather biodegrades, but the tanning process can be polluting. Best bet: Invest in shoes that can be easily resoled so you’ll wear them for years.

4. Buy organic cotton. In general, the production of cotton is gentler on the environment than that of nylon or rayon, and organic cotton may be even better. While it can require more land and water to make than the nonorganic kind, most experts agree it’s the greener choice because it doesn’t involve pesticides. In 2003, more than 6 million pounds of chemicals were used on cotton fields in California alone!

5. Wash your clothes in cold water. “Sixty percent of a garment’s ecological impact occurs after its purchase,” says Lynda Grose, who teaches sustainable fashion design at California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Diminish your impact by washing in cold (it usually gets clothes just as clean) and doing only full loads.