The end of an old year and the beginning of a new one means resolutions. Many of us set goals at this time, vowing to make the next year better than the last year. If you make green New Year's resolutions, you can also help make the world a better place than it was last year. When you resolve to make your wardrobe greener for 2009, you can help the environment in addition to yourself.

Here are some ideas for green clothing resolutions:

Think about what you need. Vow to consider new purchases. Before buying new clothing, think about what you would wear it for and how it might be used. If you are not planning to wear it a great deal and if you cannot think of several ways to incorporate into outfits using what you already have, perhaps it is not a good idea to buy. After all, new clothing uses a tremendous amount of resources.

Donate unused clothing. If you have clothing that is in good condition, donate it so that it can be recycled. Better yet, resolve to go to at least one fashion swap in 2009. Take your old clothes and trade them for something that is new to you. The best way to be green with your wardrobe is to wear recycled clothing.

Look at where your clothing is coming from. Clothing shipped from far away places uses resources and pollutes the air due to shipping. Additionally, some countries have lax environmental laws, and this means the production of your clothing could be bad for the environment. Instead, try to buy clothing that has been produced closer to home.

Consider what your clothing is made from. In addition to where your clothing is coming from, think about what it is made of. Consider organic cotton clothing and shoes with soles made from recycled tires. These products are less damaging to the environment and offer green clothing alternatives that cannot be had with some of the more traditional materials.

As the green movement in clothing catches on, more and more people are interested in doing what they can to be more sustainable in their clothing-related habits and activities. Many people realize that they can buy T-shirts or jeans made of organic cotton, but they do not realize that even shoes can be eco-friendly. There are companies that produce shoes that are eco-friendly and support a more sustainable future.

Eco-friendly Materials Used in Shoes
One of the most common materials used in environmentally friendly footwear is recycled tires. Car tires can be reused as a number of things from pavement to shoes. As one might guess, the materials in car tires make ideal outsoles for shoes. They are tough, provide good traction and are road-ready. Additionally, it is possible to use recycled car tires in the pedbed as well. The processes used for pedbeds turn the car tires into something softer, yet still supportive.

Other materials used in eco-friendly shoes include organic cotton for the lining, as well as suede produced in accordance with the highest of environmental standards. There are other recycled materials that can be used for the uppers as well. The important thing is to make sure that as much of the shoes as possible is produced in a way that is eco-friendly and that supports environmentally friendly practices.

Finally, many people forget that packaging can be a real problem. Packaging takes up a lot of resources. In order to reduce the impact of packaging, choose shoes that come in boxes made from post-consumer products. This way you will further minimize the impact of your buying choices on the environment.

It is possible to be stylish and eco-friendly. As clothing choices, including shoes, become more available, it is possible to replace the harmful clothing in your wardrobe with clothes that are greener and better for the environment.