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Hello-Goodbuy: Strategies for Fashion Addicts to #getyourshittogether

November 17, 2016
Textiles
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Case Studies

During Circle Economy's signature textiles event Beyond Green, the bold and brave voices of the next fashion generation echoed in our ears as a powerful battle-cry was heard from the student-led AMFI activist group Hello-Goodbuy. They are fed up with the current fashion industry and have joined forces to come to terms with their addiction. In a heartfelt launch, this no-nonsense collective voiced their frustrations with the industry and implored us all, students and industry, to #GETYOURSHITTOGETHER.

Let’s be honest. A lot of us here, students and industry, are fashion addicts. And with any addiction, phase 1 is admitting that you, that we, have a problem. - Travis Rice, AMFI Student, Hello-Goodbuy Founding Member

Find the Hello-Goodbuy fashion memorandum below and learn how you can become a sustainable fashion consumer.

atm

#1 Save Money Want to know the #1 rule on 'how to be a sustainable fashion consumer?' DON'T be a fashion consumer. Let’s be real. We treat shopping as a hobby; or at the very least, a means to kill time between weekend brunch dates and dinner plans. Yet no shopping endeavour is complete without a purchase, otherwise, we’ve failed, right? We're asking you to think twice, 'cause all you'll end up killing is your bank account. The average Josephine spends €1,400 a year on clothes. This equates to roughly 30 outfits. But, our closets have become a place where good intentions go to die; amongst those 30 outfits, are 22 desperately unworn, unloved items. Items we “just had to have”. Now, we're not suggesting that you quit, cold turkey. Baby steps, baby. Ask WHY before you buy. Incorporate a 48 hour grace period between seeing and purchasing an item; you might realise that you don't need a leopard print...anything. Curb your temptation and buy a sandwich instead (chances are, an equally purposeful, and infinitely more fulfilling purchase). Or consider what else you could spend that €50 on - like, I don’t know - a night out with friends?

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#2 Seek QualityMost items in our closets are like one night stands - we’re not proud of them, we only love’em in the moment and then we leave ’em. Our excuse for having them? -‘cause their easy. The truth of the matter is that we wouldn’t think twice about replacing them with something more long-lasting and more meaningful.So why don’t you stop bringing that sh*t home then? Save your money and your energy for pieces that speak to your true character! Apply the saying “beauty isn’t skin deep” to your own wardrobe. Look beyond aesthetics, to the true value and ethics of your garments.Educate yourself; it's often what's inside that counts, so recognise the beauty of a french seam, self-facing or bias bind. Read labels; where was it produced and from what fibre? Ask shopkeepers; how should you wash and care for it? Curiosity may kill the cat, but satisfaction brings it back.#3 Take CareEvery month, 300 million tons of textiles are thrown away, leading to the emission of over 3 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases. Killing animal species, contaminating our drinking water and leading to the deaths of over 10 million people each year.  Okay, so perhaps the above numbers are complete bullsh*t, but you know what else is bullsh*t? The fact that you don't care for your clothing. Up to two-thirds of clothes’ carbon footprint occurs after you take it home. True story. This is good news, 'cause the power is in our hands for once. You don’t throw out a new car if it gets a dent, you don’t give back your newborn child after getting his/her first scrape, so why do you think your wardrobe is disposable? We need to look after our clothes and it's really not hard. Wash less, wash cold, line-dry and mend often. They say that waste is nothing more than a failed relationship. We say, stick around past the getting to know you stage, and you can live happily ever after together.  

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#4 Start a legacyThat new thing you want? Well it most likely has existed ten times already- and you can find a cheaper, higher-quality version in the bargain basement of your local thrift store. Fashion works in endless cycles. Sure, you risk the spine-melting horror of finding a used tissue in the pocket, but you also gain the warm fuzzy feeling that comes with finding a hand stitched name in the collar, or the sheer joy or uncovering a diamond in the rough. Clothing was once considered to have value that increased over time. Once, garments were passed from generation to generation and no political, military, social or religious event was complete without textiles bestowed, burned, exchanged or sacrificed.It's simple; like a fine wine, or a pungent cheese, true fashion only gets better with age. And when it's time to say goodbye? There is no goodbye. Swap, lend, thrift, recycle. Pass it on- that stuff is valuable.

Stop throwing things out, and start throwing things around.

[cta link="https://www.facebook.com/hellogoodbuymovement/?fref=ts"]Join the movement![/cta]

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The Hello-Goodbuy collective shares in our ambition to make the circular economy a reality.
Are you a changemaker? Join us at Beyond Green 2017.

[cta link="http://www.circle-economy.com/beyondgreen2017/" ]I'm a changemaker![/cta]

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