Think concerning the clothes you might be wearing right away. How long have you ever had her? How often do you wear them? Like me, you almost certainly wear your favorites that you just all the time reach for regardless that you’ve got them a closet filled with rarely worn clothes.
Still, you might feel an irresistible urge to purchase more. In high-income countries Overconsumption Clothing contributes to this Climate crisis throughout fashion's accelerating cycle, from production and distribution to Mountains of barely worn clothing waste. That could possibly be true The most sustainable clothing is the clothing we already ownbut has the industry convinced you that that is boring?
Taking care of the contents of your wardrobe while resisting the urge to purchase more clothes may be more fun than you think that. As a part of my PhD thesis on what our relationship with our clothes could mean for sustainability in fashion, I experimented with these easy and positive ways to reconnect with clothing:
1. Put pen to paper
In 2018 campaign group Fashion revolution encouraged supporters to write down a love story about their hottest item of clothing. Writing about your clothes can provide insight personal storiesGaps in your knowledge and a deeper understanding of why you wear what you wear.
Wendy Ward, Provided by creator (no reuse)
I wrote poems about a few of my clothes and commenced writing breakup letters for each piece of clothing that leaves my closet. It's a mindful process that jogs my memory of places I've been and folks I've met way more vividly than scrolling through photos on my phone.
A recent breakup letter to a rarely worn jacket helped me determine exactly why I wasn't wearing it and can hopefully ensure I don't repeat the identical mistake.
Whenever I've invited people to write down about their clothing, whether at public events or at workshops as a part of my doctoral research, I've been surprised at how willing they were to share their stories and the positive actions the writing inspired. Some people have talked about pulling clothes out of closets to wear again, and others have found higher ways to eliminate unwearable clothing.
2. Daily stitches
On average, Each person only wears 74% of their wardrobe and a Current report suggested a wardrobe size of just 85 items to limit carbon emissions and limit warming to 1.5°C.
Curious concerning the size of my very own closet, I did an intensive audit and counted 205 items of clothing. I began logging I hand-sew which of them I wear into each item of clothing I wear that day, using a distinct color thread each season to create a visible marker.
Wendy Ward, Provided by creator (no reuse)
At a look I can see which items of clothing I wear, how usually and at what time of 12 months. I can more easily resolve what clothes to maintain, know where the gaps are in my closet, and select clothes that I can part with.
This is only one type of Wardrobe trackingan activity that’s becoming increasingly popular digital form with Apps And Online campaigns that help people track their wearing habits.
3. Wardrobe portraits
Making drawings of my clothes helps me see ignored details and understand what a garment means to me on a private level.
When drawing one current photo The fluff of a forgotten sweater caught within the Velcro of a favourite jacket jogged my memory to wear that sweater again. And once, as I used to be fastidiously mapping the wrinkles in a pair of leather gloves that used to belong to my father, I noticed how the leather had molded itself to the form of his hands, and I felt as if he was holding my hands at any time when I she wears.
Wendy Ward, Provided by creator (no reuse)
Drawing has long been used to look at historical finds and museum collections, often for excavation undocumented details. But if drawing isn't your thing, most of us have a camera in our pockets. Take a good looking photo of your favorite item of clothing or document your fashion reveals on Instagram.
At a garment drawing workshop I ran in 2022 through the testing phase of my doctoral thesis, the small group of volunteers shared stories and noticed recent things about their clothing that had previously been ignored. Some suddenly realized the potential of straightforward repairs that might make a garment wearable again.
What's the purpose of a slowly made, organic, recycled garment if nobody desires to wear it, keep it, and adore it? Maybe reconnecting with unworn clothes lurking at the back of your closet could encourage you to wear them again or pass them on to another person, freeing up much-needed closet space. The key to sustainable fashion could already be in your wardrobe.
image credit : theconversation.com