Ethically Kate: Tips to make your clothes more conscious

Q What is clothing circularity and how can it be improved?

Take a moment to look at what you are currently wearing – or if you’re still in your underwear reading Reset on a Sunday morning, think of the clothes in your wardrobe. What thoughts were going through your head when you bought the clothes currently covering your body? Most likely, your thoughts went through the following: How did the clothing fit? What was the cost?

We need to look beyond the factors that influence clothing circularity. What is the fabric’s durability? It was made by whom? How will it be used when I’m done using the item? Clothing circularity is a classification of clothes that considers them valuable resources and should be retained in the resource pool at any cost.

It challenges the usual “take, make, waste” linear model and suggests we “close the loop” by ensuring responsible manufacturing, strategic garment care, and end-of-life solutions.

Moving on from long words and terms you may have never heard before, it’s more simple than you think to become aware of what you’re wearing and engage in circular fashion.

You’re welcome to borrow the three-word mantra that I implement whenever I am considering a purchase: less, quality, consciously.

Less: Can I reuse something that I already have? What do I really need?

Quality: Can this item be trusted? Are I able to care for it? Did this product have longevity in mind when it was made?

Consciously: Did the workers who created this clothing get paid? Were they treated with fairness at work? From where did the clothing originate? Do I support the values of this company? Use these three words to slow down your consumption and aid you in becoming more aware of your wardrobe and the type of fashion industry you’re supporting.

Whatever you do with your wardrobe decisions after reading this, remember that becoming aware of what you’re wearing doesn’t solely concern purchasing. Circular fashion encourages you to examine your existing wardrobe and make the most of what you do have.

A person wears approximately 50 per cent of their wardrobe – and you’ll still find everyone at the shopping mall! Spend time in your wardrobe, use what you have, turn old clothes into cushion stuffing, rags, or recycle them with Little Yellow Bird’s nationwide textile recycling scheme.

It is the most polluting industry on Earth and one of largest exploiters of human beings. So even though it may sound basic, sustainable living is all about circular fashion.