Sustainable fashion goes beyond buying second hand clothes
By Florenne Earle Ledger published 06/09/2023
We’re hoping this article doesn’t come across too preachy, and we know this might not seem very in keeping with the whole ‘Second-hand September’ vibe going on this month, but we felt it was important to talk about nonetheless. Hot take ✨ buying second hand clothes isn't enough to have a sustainable relationship with fashion ✨
Obviously we love second-hand clothes, but we feel Second-Hand September should be about making long standing changes to our consumption habits to have a positive impact on the planet, rather than continuing to overconsume but with second-hand clothes instead.
Aja Barber has written about this in her book 'Consumed' and regularly talks about it on her patreon, so we suggest you follow her/read her book for more info (after reading this article for a brief intro to the topic).
Why is buying second hand not enough?
A large problem faced by the fashion industry and our climate is textile waste. Whilst we love second-hand clothes because they’ve had a life before us, the issue lies in the way we shop.
We’re not here to make anyone feel guilty, and even though it’s great to buy preloved clothing, if you’re buying clothes you don’t love that you won’t wear (and will eventually throw out) unfortunately, this isn’t sustainable.
At Whering, we’re all about buying clothes you love that you’ll wear for years to come. That’s why even when you’re buying second hand clothes it’s so important to think about the impact the purchase will have on the planet.
You might be thinking, ‘oh but I can just take things I don’t wear to the charity shop, so what’s the harm?’ Unfortunately, a lot of clothing donations also end up in landfill as charity shops receive so many they can’t sell them all.
What makes this worse is the UK isn’t taking accountability for its own consumption. The government ships off textile waste to the Global South rather than dealing with the issue we created. That’s why we should not only buy-second hand clothes, but clothes we actually like, as the impact of any garment is negative when it’s in landfill.
Believe it or not, Whering is the perfect app to help you maximise the potential of your existing wardrobe! With our features Dress Me and W Pick, we’re here to help you make the most of clothes you already own so you can get a newness fix from what you already own (big slay).
Where does second hand September come in?
Second-hand September is the perfect time to develop long standing habits of healthy consumerism that have a positive impact on the planet.
We’ve all heard the whole ‘the most sustainable garment is the one you already own’ and it couldn’t be more true. Mikeala Loach, climate activist and author, writes in her recent book that boycotting fast fashion is proven to be one of the most impactful small lifestyle changes when it comes to reducing the damage of climate change.
It’s so important to not only buy second-hand clothes, but understand why we need and stick with that for the foreseeable future, not just September.
Take your time
Not only is understanding what clothes you like a good place to start, but taking the time to make a purchase you know actually fits is important.
It sounds stupid, but in our fast paced lives we’re buying clothes on the train on the way to work or even when we're a little drunk after a night out - there’s so much less down time these days that we have less time to think purchases through.
Beyond ensuring we like it, actually knowing it will fit and that it will go with other items we already own are also extremely important.
Once again, that’s where we come in. You can see and style everything you own with items you want to buy when you import items from online to your wardrobe. What more could you want?
If you’re browsing directly on our Marketplace, we’ll show you your items styled multiple ways with pieces you’re viewing. You can also add items to your wishlist in one single tap. This is the future of sustainable shopping.
That’s why we think sustainable shopping is more than just buying second-hand, and what you can do about it. If you have anything else to add to our conversation please get in touch with us, on our Instagram or Twitter @Whering__.
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