Honestly, do you wear all the clothes in your closet? The answer is probably no, right?
We are surrounded by abundance: fast fashion and low prices make us not think too much, buy and at most... not wear☹ Simple logic, right? So that's it, no! If we take a look at the data and understand the full picture, maybe we can stop for a second and ask ourselves: Do I need this garment?
Data you should know:
The fashion industry is currently considered one of the most polluting industries in the world. It is responsible for a quarter of the world's use of polluting chemicals, emitting 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gases per year, and producing 20-35 percent of all microplastics in the oceans and billions of tons of textile waste that is currently impossible to recycle .
This industry is the world's second largest consumer of water and produces about 20 percent of the world's wastewater. While most clothes will be purchased in the West, the carbon emissions, water pollution and land degradation of the manufacturing process, as well as the landfilling and incineration of the clothes at the end of use, will mostly occur in poor countries in Southeast Asia and Africa.
So now that we more or less understand the serious environmental damage of the world's most glamorous industry, get to know the short guide - questions I need to ask myself before I buy a new garment:
Do I need this item? A good wardrobe is made up of basic items (shirts: white, gray, basic black that go with any combination with pants/skirts, pants: black, jeans, tight, wide, flared, skirts - mini, maxi, midi, tight, wide warm clothing - sweaters and coats, scarves, tops and short shirts in the summer), do you have enough basic items to put together a wardrobe that looks "rich" but at the same time (only you will know) that you can wear the same item several times a week?
If you answered yes – continue to the next section.
Would I buy the item if it wasn't on sale? If you answered yes, it's probably an item worth purchasing, and in any case, continue to the next section:
How much will I wear this garment? If it's a garment that you know in advance is "disposable" - it's better not to buy it, maybe try borrowing it from a friend or renting it if it's for a festive event. Still not sure? Keep reading:
Is the garment of high quality and will it last with me for a long time? Or in other words, is it a long-term relationship or a fling? How will you know? Look at the seams, check for any rips? The cotton is very thin or thick and pleasant, and sometimes you just know (feel it) and if not, keep examining yourself:
Does the garment blend well with the other items in my wardrobe? Remember the first section? It's time to check which category the garment fits into - basic? Or a memorable item that can be combined with a basic? It could be an item that will create the wow effect and that you will still feel comfortable enough to wear multiple times.
And two final and crucial questions worth asking:
Is this an item I will wear next year? And why am I actually buying it?
Have you gone through all the questions? Did you understand the motive for buying? It's time to make the right decision😊
Written by Michal Lev-Yehoshua
