Better a pair of good pieces than a closet full of cheap rags

You know the saying less is more?

This could also be used when filling our closets.

In research on the management of waste clothing, the researchers found that in Slovenia in 2019 we discarded as much as 12,3 kilograms of clothing per person. The European average is »only« 11 kilograms.

We won’t have cheap clothes in the closet for long, as they are quickly damaged and the price of the repair is often too big. Their frequent change entails the high consumption of the water, energy and chemicals that we use in their production. At the same time, clothes sooner or later become waste and cause additional problems in landfills.

Katja Sreš, Ecologists Without Borders association

It’s better to have a couple of good pieces than a closet full of cheap rags – even though they look cool, says Katja Sreš from the Ecologists Without Borders association.

Why? Because usually when making such clothes on the other side of the world they don’t pay attention to either the health of the workers or our health, as they contain a lot of chemicals.

If we have to give up clothes that are still useful, she advises exchanging them among friends or selling them online. They can also be donated to humanitarian organizations or placed in textile containers.

Clothes that are completely damaged can be taken to the nearest waste collection centre.

The survey was conducted by Ecologists Without Borders, Focus and Fair Trade, which have been drawing attention to the problems of fast fashion for years.

These are overproduction, low prices and poor quality clothing. All of the above affect the planet.

Therefore, on April 23^th, they are preparing the Day in Used Clothes and urge everyone to wear used clothes at that time.

If we will wear our clothes longer, we will be able to reduce the amount of waste!

Glossary

Hyperproduction is production that makes more products than people are able to buy.

Points to Consider

1. How are fast fashion and fast food similar?
2. Do you know any second-hand clothing stores?
3. Why is it wise to keep pieces that have gone out of fashion?

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The original version of this article was published on March 5th.

English translation courtesy of JL Flanner, Total Slovenia News, an English language website with news from and about Slovenia.