4 Ways to Incorporate Circularity in Your Wardrobe | Annie Clementine
Circular design is a new way of thinking about product development that considers the entire life cycle of a product. Unlike traditional design, which focuses on creating products that can be used and thrown away, circular design aims to create products that can be reused or recycled.
This shift in thinking requires a different approach to product development, but the benefits are clear: less waste, reduced environmental impact, and increased profits. So how can we, as consumers, bring fashion circularity to our everyday lives? It’s easier than you think. Let’s take a closer look.
- Choose natural material
Natural materials are those that come from nature and are made up of organic compounds — hence they take less time to recompose, unlike synthetic materials. Many natural materials like apple leather are durable and can easily be recycled and reused over and over again without losing their quality. The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Every year, billions of garments are produced, many of them made from synthetic materials that take hundreds of years to degrade. Carefully selecting the material of the products you are purchasing is therefore the core of bringing circularity to your wardrobe.
- Buy second-hand
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Buying second-hand products is giving another life to an old product that otherwise would end up in a landfill taking many years to decompose. Second-hand products don’t require new resources to be produced, so they have a lower environmental impact than new items. By buying second-hand products, you can help to reduce waste from fashion and make a more sustainable choice for the planet. Many sites like Poshmark are great platforms for both selling and buying second-hand items.
- Upcycle
Upcycling is a story of trash transformed. Upcycling is when you take an old piece of clothing and turn it into something new. This can be done in a number of ways, such as turning an old t-shirt into a pillowcase or cutting up an old pair of jeans to make a new pair of shorts. Not only does upcycling give your clothes a new life, but it also helps to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Additionally, upcycling is a great way to be creative and unique. No one else will have the same piece of clothing as you, and you’ll get to show off your own style. So if you’re looking for a sustainable and creative way to update your wardrobe, upcycling is the way to go!
- Donate
Donating clothes instead of throwing them out to help someone in need and reduce waste. Throwing away clothes takes up valuable resources and creates pollution, but donating them can help reduce waste and provide needed items to people who might not be able to afford them otherwise. It’s important to make sure that the clothes you donate are in good condition, though, as donating clothes that are ripped or stained can do more harm than good. There are a number of ways to ensure that your donations are put to good use, such as donating to local charities or donating through national organizations like local shelters or the Salvation Army. By taking the time to donate your gently used clothing, you can help reduce waste, support sustainable fashion, and make a difference in someone’s life.
The key to fashion circularity is in the hands of consumers as much as the producers. By making a few simple swaps in our everyday wardrobe choices, we can all help reduce waste and take another step towards a more sustainable future.
So how can we, as consumers, bring fashion circularity to our everyday lives? Let’s recap the five ways you can make a difference:
- Choose circular material
- Upcycle
- Buy second-hand
- Donate or recycle clothes when they’re no longer wearable.
If each of us makes just one small change in the way we consume clothing, imagine the impact we could have collectively!
