Maybe you still have old fast fashion hanging in your closet, from a period when you were less conscious of it. Or maybe you are only now starting to discover that fast fashion - or the even faster ultra fast fashion from brands like SHEIN - is not the most sustainable choice. What do you do with clothes from brands like Zara, Mango, H&M or SHEIN when you no longer wear them? Many of these items are difficult to recycle, but throwing them away is a waste. Luckily, there are ways to give your old fast fashion the most sustainable farewell possible. We'd love to tell you how! Bye bye!
What is the problem with (ultra) fast fashion?
Fast fashion - and the even faster ultra-fast fashion from brands like SHEIN, TEMU and AliExpress - comes with a lot of problems. Got a minute? For a start, clothes are often made of cheap materials such as polyester blends, which wear out quickly, are difficult to recycle, and lose their shine or fit after just a few wearings. It looks lovely on the model in the shop, but once at home it is often a disappointment. Yet we keep buying. The low prices, mega-fast lead times and weekly new collections make it incredibly tempting to score something new every time. But what happens next? On average, we only wear a garment seven times. It disappoints, breaks down quickly, or we get bored of it - and so the pile of unused clothes grows endlessly. Throw it in the clothing container with good intentions, and even then you run the risk of it being traded and shipped to countries in Africa and South America. There, much of this clothing ends up as litter in nature. Terrible! Have you ever seen on TV the images of the garbage heaps in Ghana and Chile? Those heaps are so big that they can even be seen with a satellite.
What to do with old fast fashion clothes and bad ultra fast fashion?
Okay, we have a problem. We are stuck with way, way too many bad fast fashion clothes. And even if you put it neatly in the clothes bin, you have no guarantee that it will end up well. The most important thing you can do now is to stop buying clothes of too poor quality. Especially not online where you can't see, try on or feel it. Have you seen something cool from a fast fashion brand? Go to a shop, try it on, check the material. So you can be sure it's a good buy that will last you a long time. Buy consciously and wear it long, is what we want to say. That's no use to you now, because what should we do with those bad fast fashion clothes we still have lying around and want to get rid of? Some fast fashion clothes even turn out to be toxic. Whew. And yet, we have gathered a few practical tips to get rid of your old clothes responsibly.
What do you do with old fast fashion clothes? Check the material and quality and then decide what's best to do: sell, pass on, donate or put it in a textile container.
You can do this with old fast fashion clothes!
Do you have old fast fashion garments you want to get rid of? Here are our tips to get rid of them responsibly.
Is it still wearable? Give it a second chance anyway!
Do you have a fast fashion item that is still quite nice - because there certainly are. Then it deserves a second life! You can hand it in at the thrift store so someone else can be happy with it. Another option is a clothing swap. You can organise this yourself with friends or family, or you can attend a public swap. To do so, check The Clothing Loop's clothing exchange calendar, they keep it up to date. Finally, you can also sell beautiful fast fashion, for instance through Vinted, Marktplaats or a flea market. When selling online, do be honest about the brand, as some people consciously choose sustainable alternatives and prefer not to wear fast fashion.
No longer wearable? Recycle responsibly!
Clothing that is no longer wearable belongs in the textile container. Although not everything from these containers ends up well, this is still the best choice. This is because a large proportion of the textiles collected - especially if they are poor - do get recycled. If the material is pure, it can sometimes even be made into new yarn. Poorer items are often downcycled into insulation material, cleaning cloths or car seat padding. It is important to return clothes clean and dry.
Upcycle yourself
Are you in a creative mood? Give old clothes a new life by making your own upcycling. Turn an old clothing a fun bag, festive flags or an apron. This way you still do something with those precious (raw) fabrics, but it is also a meaningful activity to still make something out of those old clothes or misfits.
More sustainable fashion tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Also see: How does clothing exchange work with The Clothing Loop.
- Also see: long list of better fashion brands.
- Also see: tips to get the most out of your Vinted sales!
Sources: vox.com, Milieu Centraal. Photo credits: Angela de Vlaming (main image), other: thegreenlist.nl and Angela de Vlaming (photo with yellow blouse).
