I've stopped buying clothes (2024)

If you were a girl growing up in the 2000s, you'll know what I mean when I say that anything and everything that was targeted towards us was all about fashion. We dressed our dolls in sparkly clothes and were encouraged to spend a small fortune buying new outfits for them. Our magazines dictated to us the latest fashion trends and were so focused on the red carpet looks of the season. We also grew up on movies that celebrated the act of the shopping spree, movies that heralded the shopping mall as some sort of place of pilgrimage for teenage girls. These films would see groups of quirky teens dressing up in their most fashionable outfits to go and spend lots of money that they magically had. Of course, these girls would buy a new outfit for every occasion because they could never find anything suitable to wear in their existing wardrobe. If you also grew up in a frugal family like I did, you lived vicariously through these movies because you simply didn't have the luxury of going and splurging at the local shopping centre. I desperately wanted to be part of these friendship groups. They were all about connection, a shared experience, and having fun. But on the other side, they were also about collectively buying lots of new stuff. Spending money. Buying into needless consumerism. In my memory, at least, that's a lot of the messaging I grew up with from various films, TV shows and books – that I needed to buy shiny new things and have a wardrobe stuffed full of colourful clothes for every occasion.

As I've grown up, I've started become a little bit disillusioned with it all. Don't get me wrong, I love clothes and I think there's so much joy to be had in the way we dress our bodies. I love that, for some, clothes can be an excellent mode of self expression. I love that, for others, clothes are mainly practical. What I don't love, however, is the environmental impact and wastefulness of the clothing industry. Did you know that the clothing industry is responsible for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions? Did you know that in 2020, 2.6 million tonnes of returned clothes ended up on landfill in the US?

For the past few years I've been committed to finding more ethical alternatives to buying new clothes. I’m delighted to say there are many pathways we can take. It's no secret that most high street brands, though affordable, rely on sweatshop labour where their clothes makers are made to work tirelessly in poor conditions for very little compensation. In my experience, the garments themselves don't last long because brands have used cheap materials to make a quick buck. For this very reason, I can't even remember the last time I went on a shopping spree in high street shops. I live in England, and a factory near me that made clothes for a major fast fashion retailer was recently shut down following investigations that discovered severe worker exploitation, many of these exploited people being migrant workers. We like to think that it is a problem that is far away. Out of sight, out of mind. But it is not, and it shouldn't be.

It troubles me even more, then, when I realise how much of a problem we all collectively have when it comes to overconsumption. Look, I don't blame the chick-flick films of the 2000s for our hyperconsumerism. But I do think that, for a number of reasons, many of us hold a very specific idea about what it means to be successful: that we own a lot of things. A few months ago, I came to an epiphany. For a while, I’ve been committed to buying the majority of my clothes secondhand. On a recent occasion, I bought 4 secondhand dresses from a charity shop in one transaction. As I sit here and write this now, 2 of them have already been re-donated, 1 of them has been stored away for next Autumn, and another has been turned into a nightdress because it's simply too big for me. Of course, the impact of this isn't that bad because they were already secondhand. But, that isn’t the point. I feel like clothes should not be so easily flying in and out of our wardrobes. It got me thinking: how much clothing waste is produced if we're getting rid of our new garments within a few months, without even wearing them first? Everything came to a head in this moment, and now I’ve stopped buying clothes.

I want to make this clear: I don’t want to remove the joy from clothes. On the contrary, I actually think that making more ethical changes to our relationship with fashion can be a fun, creatively fulfilling experience. What I do mean to say is, we could all be wearing our clothes better.

With all this in mind, I've put together a small and imperfect guide to being sustainable with your clothes. All of these options are much better than mindless fast fashion. This is an ethos I've followed for the past few years now, I hope it's of some inspiration.

1. Don't buy any more clothes, instead shop your current wardrobe

This may seem very rash to begin with, but hear me out.

If you truly feel like your current wardrobe can sustain you for the foreseeable future, why add to it unnecessarily? Of course, there are certain factors that can complicate this step, such as body size changes, or clothes unexpectedly breaking. But for me, being sustainable is about using what you already have. This is why I've personally stopped buying clothes for the foreseeable future.

I have a modest collection, but I simply don't need any more. It helps that I don’t follow current trends, instead I focus on having timeless items. Nothing is more exciting to me than looking at my wardrobe, getting out what I haven't worn in a while, and trying to make new and interesting outfit combinations with it. I promise you have many more outfits in your current wardrobe than you realise. I also promise you that it is, in fact, cool to be an outfit-repeater!

2. Mend, alter, and repurpose your current clothes

Learning how to mend, alter, and repurpose clothes is one of the best life skills you can learn. I was lucky to take Textiles as one of my GCSE qualifications, meaning I’ve retained some basic skills when it comes to sewing. How many times have you had to throw away a sock because a hole has appeared and you haven't had the ability to darn it? How many times has a garment no longer fit properly but could do with being drawn in or let out and you're unsure of how to do that? How many times has an item no longer brought you joy but still has a lot of wear in it, and you've gotten rid of it instead of finding ways to bring it back to life?

These sorts of skills don't even need to be anything significant. You can get along just fine by learning to sew, and having a needle and some threads in your possession. Or, becoming proficient with a glue gun when the soles of your shoes start to split from the shoe itself. Invisible mending (where you can't see any signs of repair) is just fine, but also the visible mending trend has recently been gaining traction online for its fun and unique approach to repairing clothes.

Our bodies are also likely to change shape at some point – who said that the size of our clothes shouldn't change with us? You can learn how to alter them yourself, or try and find a local tailor who can alter your clothes for you.

If your clothes need a little pick-me-up, may I present to you: embellishments. Here is a small list of ideas:

• Patches (one of my favourites!)

• Change the buttons

• Bows

• Studs, gems and rhinestones

• Environmentally friendly fabric dye

• Ruffles

• Lace trim

• Fringe

• Crochet

• Embroidery

3. Make your own clothes

This is another invaluable life skill. I think if we all made our own clothes we would realise that clothes from high street shops should cost more money because of the time and energy involved in making just one garment. Think of it like this – all clothes are handmade. Even the mass-produced ones at H&M!

I've been having an absolute blast watching Leena Norms on YouTube and her clothes-making series. She shows that making your own clothes can take many forms, whether it's knitting, crocheting, hand stitching, or investing in a sewing machine. More importantly, she shows that it’s a fun process!

How great would it be if we could have the clothes we truly wanted, in our specific size, that we've taken the time to make ourselves?

4. Take part in a clothes swap

If there are clothes you no longer want, or they no longer fit you properly, doing a clothes swap is one of the best ways to guarantee that they'll be going to a good home. When you, for example, donate clothes to a charity shop, there's no guarantee that they will ever actually hit the shelves.

A clothes swap is best done in person, with people you know. You could organise one at your home, and friends and family could bring along items they don't want. Doing this means that the transfer of clothes from one person to another is visible, rather than not knowing where they will end up as a result of donating them.

The most recent additions to my wardrobe were a handful of light jumpers and cardigans, given to me by my mother who would’ve otherwise shipped them off to a charity shop. I’m having the best time including these garments in my recent outfits!

5. Rent your clothes

If you have a formal event coming up and these sorts of occasions are rare for you, consider renting an outfit instead of buying one.

A couple of years ago I went to a wedding where I brought my dress, shoes, and bag all secondhand. I wanted to do it as sustainably as possible, but afterwards I realised that I likely wouldn't be using any of these items again for a really long time. If I'd have simply rented my outfit instead, I could've saved space in my wardrobe, and likely some money as well.

Websites like Hirestreet, My Wardrobe HQ, and Girl Meets Dress are all great for anyone who wants to rent an occasion dress.

6. Buy secondhand clothing

This, until quite recently, had become a staple of mine in my life. If you go into any charity shop, you'll get a small glimpse of just how many perfectly fine garments are already in circulation. You can get so many great items from charity shops, but also platforms like Vinted and Depop. Vintage clothes shops sometimes have some unused deadstock items, but will likely only sell secondhand stuff.

The key to any secondhand buying is to be selective and to have an idea of what it is that you want. When you potentially find it, take the garment off the rail, feel it, and examine it for any fading or wear and tear. If there's a changing room, try it on. Then ask yourself if it has a place in your wardrobe, and if you will likely wear it.

Ultimately, buying secondhand means that the garments are cheaper. They may never have been worn before, but if they have then it means they’ll already be worn in and softened. This is a good thing, especially for clothes made out of denim! Also, you're saving fabric from going into landfill or being shipped overseas to be resold at a higher price to locals.

7. Buy new from ethical companies

If you want to buy new clothes, ethical companies are the way forward. They're my go-to for certain items that I have boundaries on when it comes to secondhand buying. For example, I will not buy secondhand undergarments, socks, leggings/tights, sleep wear, or sports wear.

Buying new from ethical companies is often a good choice. I've found that the items are lasting a lot longer than if I had bought them cheaply from a high street shop. It does often mean paying a higher price upfront, but taking into consideration the labour and good quality materials that are being used, it feels like a fair price tag. Also, the idea is that you don't buy as many clothes because you're making a garment last longer. It may be more expensive in the short term, but in the long term it pays off.

As I mentioned in one of my previous articles, Ethical Consumer rates companies based on their ethical status. I find that this is a great way to determine which clothing brands are best to buy from. Some of my favourites I've bought from are Lucy & Yak, Organic Basics, Veja, Po-Zu, and Vegetarian Shoes.

I do realise that there are certain barriers to buying clothes ethically. For example, some ethical brands only carry limited sizes, it isn't affordable to some because of bigger costs upfront, also a lot of ethical brands are based in mainland Europe or the United States meaning international shipping can cost a pretty penny.

Improving our relationships to clothes doesn’t have to be a chore. But I do think that we could all afford to be intentional and take the time to learn about how we can let go of our need to buy and consume. Clothes are not meant to be disposable, they’re supposed to be cherished. I make sure that I’m looking after my clothes. After all, a hole in fabric can become a tear –and nobody wants that! When I look at my wardrobe now, I appreciate every single item in there. I look at my clothing collection and I see the product of hard work by so many different people.

Ethical approaches to fashion can still be fun. Caring about our planet and the people that inhabit it is essential. It’s cool to repeat outfits. Having clothes that will last a long time is smart. Small changes can have a huge impact. Let’s all start wearing our clothes better.