Reusing and Repurposing clothes

You might have heard the term fast fashion, the term has gained lots of traction in recent years when discussing well-known brands and consumers’ buying habits. Fast Fashion is a term applied to companies and clothes made at an alarmingly high rate hence the name; Fast Fashion. These companies will produce new clothes rapidly changing designs weekly overproducing clothes which in turn insights people to buy more. ( I go more into depth about fast fashion on my fast fashion blog post so go check it out) Due to fast fashion people have found themselves with an abundance of clothes while still wanting to purchase more. Here I will list a few steps you can take to repurpose old clothes and help make the clothes you have last longer. 

1. Fix clothes

If you have clothes you like that have a small tear or rip instead of purchasing an entirely new one try fixing it. There are many tutorials online you can follow only teaching you how to sew and repair small areas.

Here is one zip-up top I liked. The zipper broke so I am currently working on removing it and replacing it with a new one.

2. Give the clothes to friends and siblings

Many of the clothes I have are old clothes from my mom or family friends. One of my family friends gives my sisters and I her old clothes whenever she cleans out her closet. These clothes are in perfect condition and now have a second life. So if you have clothes that don’t fit your current style try asking your friends or siblings if they would like it!

3. Donate to Local shelters

 Once you have gathered the clothes you don’t want anymore, look up local shelters near your home. Many shelters are independent organizations that are run by a few people. On their website or at their location they will probably have a list of things they need and accept as donations. 

4. Donate to Thrift stores

I would take this approach after you donate to local shelters or can’t find shelters to donate to, because while thrift stores are a good option and provide affordable clothes to people, shelters will give them directly to people in need.

5. Trade clothes

This one I would say is less common, I have only come across one thrift store that will trade clothes but that doesn’t mean there aren’t more out there. Some places will allow you to swap out clothes you bring for clothes in their curated thrift store. Keep in mind they do turn clothes away and expect the clothes to be in good condition. This option is good if you have clothes you haven’t really worn and want to change your style while being earth-friendly.