Fixing Fast Fashion: Reusing Your Old Clothes

The problems of fast fashion have been talked about everywhere: the materials, water and energy that goes into each garment, the waste when the garment is thrown away, and the microplastics and mircrofibers that are entering our oceans and bodies. One obvious solution is to buy good quality clothes to last longer. But even if you aren’t one of the many that is consistently buying and throwing away clothing, what are you supposed to do with the clothes that you don’t wear anymore?

Donating or Reselling Your Clothes

A great way to make a bit of extra money is to resell your clothes that are still in good condition. While local thrift shops may not give you the best prices for what you are trying to sell, you can easily sell in bulk there. Or if you are willing to take more time to sell each piece individually, sites like ThreadUp and Poshmark are very helpful.

One of the best ways to donate clothes is to donate them directly to your homeless shelter. These shelters are usually in need of clean and fresh clothing for the transient people that they are helping as these people often don't have the supplies to clean their clothing frequently.

A great way to get rid of old clothes and get some new ones yourself, is to host a clothing swap with your friends! Our friends can have some great fashion and a great way to get more mileage out of our favorite pieces is to pass them on to the people we love! Personally, some of my favorite things to wear came from friends who grew out of them.

Fix Your Clothing Yourself!

If you have a favorite shirt that simply looks worn or has a big rip, it’s a great idea to make a DIY project out of it! With Halloween just around the corner, it's a good time to go through some old clothes to make a new, original costume!

With resources like Google, Youtube, and Pinterest, learning new skills like sewing has never been easier. Stitch-work and patchwork can also be made to look original and fun!

Visiting a crafts store for some sewing supplies is not only going to help your current clothes last, but it is less costly than continually buying to replace the cheaply made clothes that fast fashion companies produce.