You heard me. And I don’t mean sneaking into your neighbours house to see what kind of crockery they are storing either(I can see mine being Denby girlies themselves). I’m talking other peoples clothes specifically. In the fight against fast fashion (and its evil sequel, too fast too fashioney). This term fight against has been used for so long that I think, as a nation(especially a nation of Instagram fashionistas-myself included), we have become desensitised to the cause.

A quick google on stats from Earth.org tells us:

• Clothing production has doubled, however garment usage and durability lifetime has decreased.
•  Fast fashion generated more CO2 than aviation and shipping combined. For every trip you take for a vacation, clothes are doing a world tour.
• More than $500 billion are lost every year due to lack of recycling and clothing utilisation. Picturing a very trendy (but disgusting) landfill.
• 20% of global wastewater comes from textile dyeing. This one actually blew my mind a little, I never considered dirty water ending up in rivers and lakes.
•  We discard 92 million tons of clothes-related waste each year. That’s a full garbage truck of garments getting incinerated every second.
• Returns of items bought online exceed the amount of all purchased goods. So the stuff that is going back, adds even more pressure to that fold (as someone who rarely even remembers to return things, this ones on you guys!).

Now before you feel bad for buying that Boohoo dress last week for brunch, take a second… Its a general consensus that no one wants to harm the environment, and that we are fortunate enough to have a better understanding on how to help, which previous generations may not have had the liberty.

That being said, It is easy to recycle yogurt pots and feel like an earthy goddess; but less easy to pass Zara or Primark up on a sale, or have a quick browse on Shein for latest looks, sometimes at the gentle nudge from targeted ads. The ethos of eco the warrior princess goes out the window at the sight of a bargain…

So how can we look good and still keep our garments green? Well buying preloved, repairing your own, and upcycling your wardrobe could be the zipper that brings it all together!

We’ll start with Preloved.

It’s such a nicer term than second hand isn’t it? (second hand suggests a rusty old car no one wants anymore, but preloved means someone lovingly cared for the item and pet its little stitching before placing it on it’s hanger…)

The stigma around buying preloved is gently fading (with thanks..)with a renaissance of Vintage fashion and thrifting trends on the likes of TikTok and Instagram. My own mother was a charity shopper, she hated the thought of people wearing the same things as her, and ultimately passed the bargain bug to myself and my sister. I can really say I’ve only recently came out of the charity-shop-closet in recent years though to those who aren’t close to me though, at the behest of someone passing judgment, and I’ve found (like most things in life…) people are surprisingly supportive and have their own tales of great finds! Ahh the growing acceptance that you aren’t wearing dead aunt Doris’ nighties but high quality bits!

I can safely say at least 85% of my current wardrobe is preloved. Be it from local charity shops, or online services such as eBay and vinted. The thrill of the hunt to find a unique and gorgeous outfit, along with the satisfaction of less expense and helping the environment is a triple threat! Additionally, where finances are concerned- selling your own preloved clothes(eBay and vinted are the best websites I’ve seen for this) can actually keep a fresh wardrobe in rotation without any waste or extra expense!

So how do we get a good find(lazily) in our local thrift store? The key is to know your materials. Remember what we looked at about clothes lasting less now than they used to? that’s because they are mass produced and lower quality. Materials keep. And they keep for a looong time if they are looked after. Garments are found shrouded round Egyptian mummies after all!

With the exception of Egyptian cotton, other materials that keep best are:

• Leather
• Linen
• High quality cotton
• Silks
• Wool
• Suede
• And some Vegan options if you look into them!

The next thing to look for is the craftmanship and and the stitching. Is it thin or see through, are the stitches even and seams strong? In particular Designer label clothes have a higher level of craftsmanship, so finding a designer make is usually a good sign your wardrobe essentials will last! Similarly, Vintage clothing holds a notion that, if-its-lasted-this long-and-still-in-good-nick, it will continue to last.

Refresh/Repair

The next options for creating your own sustainable fashion wonderland at home, I needed the help from some experts to report on accurately. Repairing and renewing your own wardrobe will require some learning on our part, but getting longer out of your existing clothes seems like a no brainer! I spoke to Jo Craig from Rose Fabric Designs who informed me that if you can master hand sewing, you can do any simple repairs or alterations! She also recommends getting whatever you can fixed, even more so if it a high quality item(much like the ones your gonna find now in the charity shops!), telling a story of patching a tear in a Barbour, taking her designer piece into a custom one of a kind! Jo has also recently started taking Vintage tablecloths(yes tablecloths) and transforming them into tops and dresses and has a quilted blanket in waiting ready to be turned into a half zip jacket. “My Advice, don’t throw anything away. Donate, sell, repurpose, or reach out to see if it can be mended… most things can have another shot! – Instagram and Facebook @RoseFabricDesigns

I also spoke to Kennedy Fox from The House of Darcy who makes bespoke children’s clothes and other items and runs sewing workshops locally in Portadown. “Sustainable fashion is needed, especially these days when no one wants to be seen in the same picture in the same outfit, and the previous outfit gets thrown away” Kennedy herself wrote a dissertation on the subject of sustainable fashion and is a wealth of knowledge, even designing her own garment that can be worn several different ways to help combat the ORW(outfit repeater worries). What is more, its made out of hemp silk, which means if it does end up in Landfill, it will biodegrade safely. Mind Blown! – Instagram and Facebook @Houseof Darcy

That’s it lads, I’m off to learn how to sew and thrift shop till I drop.

Love, K xx