Well I’ve been tossing this idea around in my mind for the past few days & I have now decided that I am going to go for it.
The challenge is to not buy any new clothes for the rest of the year. That means no new clothes for spring or summer.
I really have my wonderful husband to thank for my new found inspiration. He is studying a subject on environmental issues/ ecological sustainability & how this interacts with design. Seeing as he will be designing & producing objects in the future, it’s really important to think about the way in which he will contribute to the environmental problems our world faces. He has really got me thinking about how many THINGS we have in modern society, & all the energy and resources that go into making these things which we then inevitably throw away. Now I know you are probably thinking about how the other day I was posting on how much I loved my new gadget- a yoghurt maker, & now I’ve completely turned around & am preaching about how we don’t need to be so selfish with our material possessions! But, I have been thinking that it’s not the objects themselves which are the problem- it’s more our attitude & if we think more seriously about each purchase that we make, then we will probably make wiser purchasing desicions.
So- clothing is one area where I wish to make better choices. To be honest, I have not been inspired by fashion for a long time. Everything looks the same, it’s often poor quality & made in China in sweatshops. When I think about all the energy & resources that go into making fabric, then all the energy & resources that go into turning that fabric into clothing, then all the energy & resources that go into transporting the clothing all around the globe, then how they sit in shops (which also chew through energy & resources what with the lighting & electricity & advertising on tv & in print). Then I buy the piece of clothing & probably only wear it for one season, then I give it to the Salvos- which is obviously better than throwing it away, but I still think I can do more to limit the ecological footprint of my clothing purchases.
So- no new clothes for me. I will only be buying second hand clothes (& I’m lucky that there are some great vintage/ designer recycled clothing boutiques in Adelaide) or upcycled clothing (see www.heidi&seek.com.au), or handmade clothing (not mass produced). I hope to post some photos of my purchases so you may be inspired too!
Oh & I should mention that underwear does not fall into this category!
