Are you ready for a challenge?
Think back at the clothes you bought within the last year and see if you can answer these questions:
- How much was bought online?
- How much of it did you return?
- Do you know where it was made?
- Have you researched the brands for their sustainability policies?
- How much have you been wearing your most favourite pieces of clothing? - What about the rest?
- Did you buy anything during the last year that you haven't worn yet? And why?
- What do you do with the clothes you don’t wear?
- How much do you value sustainability when you buy new clothes?
- Did you buy any clothes second hand?
- Have you repaired any of your old clothes?
- Have you sold, donated or given your old clothes to others?
Did you get a new perspective on your textile shopping habits? Or are you on the right track to become a sustainable textile consumer? What about your family and friends? What can you do to help them to become more sustainable?
EMPTY YOUR CLOSET
What do you keep in your closet? Are you using all of it? Why don’t you try to find out if your old clothes might be of use to someone else? Make a pile to keep, one to donate and one to sell. Then go to the second hand store and donate the ”donation pile”, then go online and find a local buy & sell group and see if someone could be interested in something from the “sell pile” you might be surprised to find how many people love to find used clothes and will be happy with your pre-owned garments.
GO SECOND HAND SHOPPING
When it's time to shop for replacements for all the clothes you got rid of, try the same strategy. Go to second hand stores in your area and just browse around. You might not find what you need the first time, but if you do this once in a while you might just find that new favourite garment that will mean so much more to you because you made a bargain, and you didn’t waste any unnecessary resources.
Online marketplaces are a treasure trove of good deals, and if you trade locally you might just get to know a lot of interesting people in your area in the process.
