How to do slow fashion

As described in our last column, much of the clothing now available in stores is cheaply produced, and we often buy it frequently to keep up with quickly evolving styles. This fast-fashion trend wastes our money while needlessly draining resources, increasing environmental pollution, and straining landfills. Slow fashion is a more sustainable approach to dressing ourselves.

To begin with, we can acquire new clothing less often. Though stores are full of poorly made garments, certain brands are still known for their durability. Well made clothes tend to be relatively expensive up front but will pay off by not wearing out quickly. Moreover, top-quality apparel is cheaper at outlets and goes on sale towards the end of a given season and on shopping “holidays” like Presidents Day. Durable garments can also be found — often in excellent condition — at local thrift stores, which of course stock all kinds of gently worn clothing sold at bargain prices.

Another way to avoid buying new clothes — plus save money — is to repair them, especially before small problems become daunting. Many of us learned to sew at some point, and minor repairs such as reattaching a button or ironing on a patch demand no special skill. The creative among us can even enhance a garment’s appeal through “visible mending”; see egausa.org/visible-mending-introduction. For sewing assistance, bring your garments to a repair cafe like the one held periodically at Curtis Library in Brunswick or visit a dry cleaner which offers alteration and tailoring services.

When parting with clothes, afficionados of slow fashion have many sustainable options. Wearable items can be sold, swapped, or donated. Options for worn-out apparel include recycling and repurposing. The infrastructure needed to recycle clothes (and other textiles) is underdeveloped but poised to accelerate due to a recent commitment by Goodwill. The website eco-stylist.com/6-sustainable-ways-to-get-rid-of-old-clothes-and-shoes provides a wealth of hints and links to help you extend the life of garments you no longer want.

David Conwell is a former teacher and member of Brunswick’s Sustainability Committee.

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