Pre-loved is a new age word for what we Indians have been following in our homes for a long period now. Passing on our clothes to our siblings and cousins has always been a habit in Indian households. It was almost a tradition for us. Wearing oversized clothes was not a trend, but a sign that the child was wearing their elder sibling’s clothes. However, with fast fashion brands and more options coming in, this habit has seemed to have blurred a little. The reduction of this practice is inversely proportional to the level of textile waste from the fashion industry. The more and faster we move towards buying new, the more and faster it increases the demand for fast fashion.
The fast fashion industry ends up creating tons of textile waste every day. They dump millions of clothes in landfills, hence impacting the environment. These facts are coming to consumers’ knowledge over the last few years and they are willing to decrease their negative impact on the environment. They want to make sustainable choices, but the fact is it is never a surety that the products which are marketed to be “sustainable” are actually sustainable.
For making mindful choices, first, we should note that fast fashion brands can never be sustainable because the amount of products they produce is not possible to be produced if they follow mindful practices.
Second, mend or upcycle before you throw, there are so many DIY(do it yourself) videos available on YouTube. Some of them are very helpful or you can go to your local tailor to do the same. Think about how you can reuse your clothing and increase the number of times you wear them.
Third, always think once before you buy new. Think if you need new clothes or you are buying out of impulse, new clothing is not always the answer to every new event you need to attend. Mix and match your old clothes and create new outfits. Your creativity will impress you! And if you feel you are not so creative, Pinterest people!
Fourth, borrow clothes from your friends, we have learned since childhood, sharing is caring, I say sharing is fun! Besides being fun, it saves so much time and money, instead of shopping and spending money, you’ll get to spend the same time interacting with your bestie. Renting is another option. If You don’t want to borrow, some places even give designer garments for rent, rent them out, rock the event you are attending and then give them back.
Last, if you really want to follow a trend, ‘Pre-loved’ is the trend to follow. Research says that “72 per cent of Gen Z have a strong preference for brands who take sustainable initiatives.” Fetch old clothes from your parent’s wardrobes because vintage is the new ‘new.’ Buy second hand, adopt the idea of ‘circling wardrobes.’ Pre-loved products have become very accessible in the past few years, many small businesses have started thrift stores and brands have started pre-owned sections on their websites.
Be mindful, buy Pre-loved, and choose sustainable.
