The environmental problems caused by the fashion industry and the culture of fast fashion are huge - more greenhouse gas emissions than aviation and shipping combined, a truckload of textiles landfilled or burned every second, our oceans full of plastic microfibres and the human cost of poor working pay and conditions.
So what can you do to help your wardrobe be more environmentally friendly and sustainable?
UPCYCLING EXISTING CLOTHES/FABRIC
There are lots of things you can do from simple things like changing the buttons on a garment (ever googled “cute buttons” - you will never accept boring buttons again) or adding an appliqué to give clothes a new lease of life to sewing projects like the following:
work shirts to tops or children’s dresses
trousers to shorts
curtains to skirts, capes or jackets
tablecloths to, well, just about anything!
There is lots of inspiration on You Tube, Tik Tok and Instagram.
Greyfriars and Grace specialises in creating easy to follow sewing patterns for upcycling clothes. There are step-by-step instructions with photos and a helpful one page Quick Guide. The patterns will give you detailed instructions and accurate sizing.
Upcycling clothes has two main advantages:
Environmental - you are using existing fabric rather than buying new and keeping the existing textiles out of landfill for that bit longer; and
Practical - using existing clothing means that the often more difficult elements of sewing, such as the buttonholes, collar and cuffs, are already done so the sewist gets the benefit of the lovely professional tailoring and you just need to do some clever cutting and straight sewing.
Oh and I should also mention, it’s a lot of fun! The mental health benefits of hobbies such as sewing are now well recognised. There is a great sense of satisfaction in the process and end result.
2. BUY/SELL IN THE SECOND HAND MARKET
Buy and sell using the second hand market. Charity/Thrift shops can be an excellent source of second hand clothes and the online options have been booming, making buying and selling second hand accessible to all.
There are the classic online sites such as Ebay or Facebook but there is also Etsy, Depop, Vinted, Rokit, Poshmarks and ThredUps, PreLoved to name but a few (note: you will need to check the less well know sites operate in your country).
The second hand market is one of the fastest growing areas of retail and is expected to double to US$77 billion by 2025. Depop was acquired by Etsy this year for GBP£1.1billion.
3. Repair
If something is not perfect, maybe it has a hole, the zip is broken or the hem of trousers need put up or down - don’t throw it out or leave at the back of the wardrobe and buy new, think about whether it could be repaired.
It will probably be cheaper to have something repaired at a high street tailor than buy new and it is better for the environment.
You might even be able to do the repair yourself - if you are unsure of your sewing skills, YouTube is your best friend.
There are lots of really cute appliqué patches that can be used to cover small holes in children’s clothes (and adults!). Some are iron on so you don’t even have to sew.
4. Be thoughtful when buying
The fashion industry produces and sells somewhere between 80 billion and 150 billion garments a year globally. We are now buying 60% more clothing than we did 15 years ago and the average item is worn only 5-7 times.
A good way of helping reduce the problem of excessive consumption and production is to think carefully about each new item you want to buy and ask yourself the questions:
Do I really need this?
Am I just buying because it’s on sale and I think I am getting a bargain?
How many times will I realistically wear it?
Is it even my size? a purchase for the “fantasy you” is more common than you would think
If I buy this, am I supporting unethical practices?
Who made my clothes? - were they paid a living wage and treated with respect
Is there a more eco-friendly brand/option?
For more information on the Clean Clothes Campaign to improve working conditions and empowering workers in the global garment and sportswear industries see cleanclothes.org/about
Ask yourself these questions and you could save yourself money, having a more simple and efficient wardrobe and helping reduce the environmental problems.
5. Renting
You might want to consider renting clothes, particularly for a special occasion. It always struck me as odd that so many people pay a fortune for a wedding dress that they will only use once (then it sits in a loft gathering dust). Carrie Johnson rented her wedding dress earlier this year when she married the current British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
There are a number of companies now who provide clothing rental services such as Hurr, Girl Meets Dress, By Rotation, Baukjen, Rotaro, Hirestreet and Endless Wardrobe.
Looking forward to the future……..
It is about changing the culture of fashion from fast and disposable to less volume with higher quality, made to last, less detrimental environmental impact, recycled and rented and more appreciation of it's origins with no child labour or unethical working conditions.
Some may think individual actions are not big enough to have an impact but that is not true. We are each a small part of the jigsaw and together we can influence and change the attitudes of consumers, manufacturers and retailers in the fashion industry to encourage a more sustainable approach to help us to look after our beautiful planet for generations to come.