Buy Less

 

We are now entering the last week of Repair What We Wear month. Repairing is great and we have been celebrating ways of repairing all month. If we are serious about reducing clothing waste, then it starts by buying less. On average, every Australian buys 56 items of clothing, including socks and underwear, each year, most of which are made from non-sustainable, non-durable materials.

One way to buy less is to ensure you wear your existing clothes more so you don’t need to buy clothes. The most sustainable garment is the one you already own. One studyhas shown that the most impactful action we can take to reduce our environmental footprint in the fashion world is to wear our clothes until they are worn out.

Researchers found that an item of clothing usually lasts between 100-200 wears. However only a small amount of clothing gets that amount of use. We need to reduce our desire to spend, and try to get the most use out of the clothes we have. Studies show that 30% of the clothes in wardrobes have not been worn in the last year. Charities are frequently donated clothes that have never been worn.

There are steps you can take to avoid buying clothes. Don’t go into clothes shops when you don’t need any clothes. Don’t go clothes shopping with a friend – how often have you felt pressured into buying something that you then hardly wear. Avoid thinking “I must buy something new for …” – look to see how you could wear what you already have.