Disposable fashion

[DonkeyHohtay]

Just saw a piece on the BBC news about the amount of clothing ending up in landfill. Apparently we're all buying 4 times as much clothing as we did 20 years ago, wearing it just a couple of times, and binning it.

AIBU to think this is a bit of an environmental disaster? And what can we do about it??

(Disclaimer - i'm in my mid 40s and don't really follow fashion. I have a skirt in my wardrobe which I bought in 1997. I wear things until they fall to bits, and get a lot of high-quality second hand. I just don't "get" the wear it once and bin it mentality).

There is a website - buymeonce.com that features things that are guaranteed to last. It has doc martens with a lifetime guarantee.

I don’t like fast fashion at all. I would never dream of wearing something once or twice and throwing it away. I love clothes but I don’t buy very much - I carefully choose items that I’m going to wear for a long time. I also have some items which are vintage, 60+ years old and still going strong!

I also repair clothes where I can and anything damaged beyond repair is sent for recycling.

However, I’d disagree with the statement But in general, things from H&M, supermarkets, Primark etc doesn't last in the same way as things from Monsoon, Boden, Hobbs etc

I’ve had clothing from H&M and Tesco that’s years old and still absolutely fine. I’ve had clothing from much more expensive brands that’s lasted a far shorter period of time before becoming worn out. Sadly, price isn’t always an indicator of quality.

As for charity shops, I love a charity shop and have had great stuff from them. But I find a lot are overpriced - yes, I know you’ve got to cover your costs AND make money for charity, but it’s still second hand clothing - and the shops themselves are often a bit rubbish. One near me doesn’t even have a changing room any more but instead offers refunds. I’m hardly going to schlep back into town for a £4 refund (the bus or parking alone costs as much), aside from feeling uncomfortable asking a charity to give money back. And that’s before anything a bit interesting or old getting a further 50% markup because it’s been ‘curated’ as vintage.

As for fast fashion, I’m not sure what there answer is. I guess you’d have to make it unfashionable/unacceptable to shop and behave like this.

I’m still wearing a Jaeger silk shirt I bought in 1996. I bet their current stock won’t last 23 years.

I agree with pp, some H&M clothing I've bought years ago is still going strong. I look after clothes. I have a MaxMara dress, bought 15 years ago, still looks like new and still feels amazing on. Even Zara clothes can last well if looked after, although not all of them for sure. It's the Instagram thing about never being seen in the same thing twice that needs to change. How does that square with the younger generation supposedly being so hot on climate change? Doesn't add up.

Agree also with CruCru re the White Company pjs. My ds had several pairs that just kept going for years, they seemed to stretch with him but still looked fresh.

Part of the issue is that all the costs aren't factored in. It might cost you £5 to buy a top which you then chuck out after a couple of wears. The cost of landfilling that comes out of your council tax. The more we throw away, the higher these costs will be. There is also the environmental costs which no-one is considering in the whole fast fashion supply chain, because they are not held accountable - water pollution, air pollution, resource depletion etc. And then health and social costs - poor working conditions, health impacts and so on.
We as consumers should be taking a stand, and we should realise that our clothes cost more than that £5 charged by Primark, H&M, whoever. I'm not saying designer brands are any better. Most people don't buy fur anymore - this isnt because of its price, but because of ethical concerns. We should be viewing fast fashion the same way.

I think it's very tricky because our entire economy, and the wider worldwide economy, is based on buying more and more 'stuff'. When we don't buy stuff, it's viewed as a crisis. And yet it's clear we can't go on like this.

but The True Cost on Netflix is a good documentary about fast fashion, highly recommend.

Have just watched this - it's excellent. Should be compulsory viewing for anyone who thinks buying an entire new wardrobe for a holiday is a good idea.

No one else has confessed they recycle their old clothes into pyjamas so now I feel very unique

We only own a couple of sets of actual intended PJ’s - I look at them and think no way am I paying £10-20 for that to sleep in it. Give me my old bobbly next slouchy T-shirt’s from 2003 and I will wear them

wonders why am single

Oh a JML bobble off is the best few quid you will ever spent! I usually get boob bobble from bags and my lanyard so can often be found de boob bobbling off of a morning

I recycle old clothes into pyjamas - especially leggings and tshirts. I have even been known to recycle DH's old t-shirts into pyjamas too...

Defiantly de-boob-bobble for me
Other people might bobble in other areas
Next items sometimes bobble in the crotch

If you're really careful you can use a razor to "shave" the bobbles off a jumper. I've done this in the charity shop with a donated cashmere jumper and it worked well.

Pookie yesterday I was just pondering that I own loads of “pyjamas” but only two actual sets. The rest are random t shirts and loads of bottoms where the t shirt that came with it went mouldy or horrifically stained
I change into PJs to eat dinner as I’m awful at dropping food.
DH isn’t bothered but he wears rancid old football shorts

I think its just not true saying "people dont want things to last". Maybe some. But there are many people who would love to be able to buy reliable, good, lasting quality for a bit of a higher price. I certainly would. But Im having trouble finding shops like that.

pookie all my PJs/loungewear are old clothes too - especially Tshirts with a stain or hole. I look amazing I'm sure but can't justify just binning them!

Paying more doesn’t necessarily mean it lasts longer. It also doesn’t necessarily mean it was produced more ethically.

Sometimes all it means is a higher mark up for the company.

Isn't part of charity shops giving skint people somewhere to buy stuff that they can afford?

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

But no, not nowadays so much.

I have a fair few regular customers that come into buy purely to resell on ebay…….. and the customers that look like they have stepped out of a fashion magazine, dripping in expensive jewellery, false everything - they are the ones that treat my shop like a carboot, always asking for money off even the cheapest items. No they are not 'skint', just savvy.

BrightYellowDaffodil

Not sure what charity shops you shop in, but I don't do 'mark up's' purely based on 'brand'. There are lots more criteria to decide the price of an item. I have a Karen Millen blouse in my shop at the moment, it is priced at £3.99. The quality is fine, it is still very much wearable, but it is about 10 years old so not 'current'. Next to it is a BNWT blouse from TU, original price £19.99, my price £4.99.

Our aim is to price to sell so that we can move our 'stock' fast, and keep the shop 'fresh'.

As for 'vintage/antique items - they are always valued independently and if valuable are sent to auction :)

@Cersei61 the ones around me definitely mark stuff up if it’s a ‘brand’ - generic unlabelled dress £4, Boden dress £9, that sort of thing. As I say, of course they’ve got to make money and but the prices charged that I see seem a bit too grabby. Oxfam bookshops are even worse - I’ve seen battered books in there for £3.99 when a bran new copy on Amazon is the same or less!

Obviously if it’s got a genuine worth - a Dior dress worth £100s even second hand or whatever - then obviously that should be sold separately. But the ‘curating’ I’m talking about is a separate rail in the same shop for anything a bit old/funky looking/vintage style. Clothes on that rail are subject to higher prices, seemingly just because someone has picked them out.