Jun 04, 2020

5 ways to make your wardrobe more sustainable

an interview with Becky from Paynter Jacket co.

over the next few months you will begin to see some of the changes we are making to our products to reduce our footprint and improve our recycling scheme.

we’ve been working a lot on this for the last year and can’t wait to show you more soon.

we’ve also been talking to other inspiring brands, like Paynter Jacket co., about sustainability in the fashion industry, and how we can all make a difference.

In honour of world environment day on June 5th, their co-founder Becky has shared 5 really easy ways you can make your wardrobe more sustainable.

Paynter's 5 tips on making your wardrobe more sustainable

this is how Olly @ mahabis styles his favourite pieces - including his mustard Paynter jacket.

1. start with what you’ve got.

We all have too much stuff. I think a good place to start is to look at what’s already in your wardrobe. Put half a day in your diary to dig through your wardrobe.

Start by finding 1-3 things you love, and notice what it is you love - it’s probably how it makes you feel, is that because of the shape, the fit, the colour, the story?

Next, pull out things you just don’t wear, and consider why that is. Is it because you just don’t feel good in it, or because you need to find a new way of wearing it?

Having a spectrum of what you love vs what you don’t is really important to begin with, it stops us making impulse buys and buying more of what we don’t need.

Once you’ve got your highs and lows, go through the other items you didn’t select. Start with one piece and make an outfit around it. It could be a skirt that you always wear with a specific jumper, but I bet you’ve got loads of other combinations in front of you.

I challenge you to find 10 new outfits using clothes and accessories you’ve already got. Once you’ve got a new outfit, take a photo of it. On you, or just laid out on the floor. Make yourself an album on your phone with those photos. Next time you’re looking for something to wear, go back to that album and remember how much you’ve already got!

2. Aim to only buy clothes whose origin you know and understand.

If you can support brands who pay fairly, use good fabrics and educate you on their supply chain, then do so!

At Paynter, we are trying to bring meaning back to clothing. We reckon that if you as a customer understand where your jacket has come from, who made it, and using what materials, you’re probably going to care a lot more about that jacket, right?

Since we’re only on sale a few times a year, people consider our jackets for weeks if not months before buying, so it’s never an impulse buy, and then we make to order so there’s no waste.

We know we’ll never compete with high street prices because we pay fairly, and use great materials with a fair price tag, so we know we’re not going to be for everyone.

3. buy second hand or rent.

This one isn’t just for buying but selling too.

Once you’ve cleared out your wardrobe you’re probably going to have some things you just won’t wear anymore. If you can sell those bits on Depop (UK) or eBay, then go for it! If they’re unsellable, take your clothes to a textile recycling bin. Take notice of what you’re throwing away, and remember that next time you’re shopping. Try not to make the same mistake twice.

There are lots of sites making sustainability easier. why not consider renting when you’re next attending an event or wedding. There’s Rent the Runway (US), Hurr Collective (UK), and similar platforms in most countries now.

4. things to consider when buying new.

Most items of clothing we throw away have been worn on average only 7 times before. Maybe that’s a lesson in buying clothing that’s timeless rather than seasonal.

So consider how much wear a brand new item will get. If you look at something and know it will be worn 30+ times, minimum, that’s much better than buying things that are hard to wear again and again.

Another quick and easy thing to do when buying new is to check labels to see what the item is made from. Very broadly speaking, good fibres to look out for are: Organic cotton / hemp / linen / wool (ideally recycled or organic) / Lyocell / Tencel / Refirba / or deadstock materials.

And these are the fabrics I’d personally avoid: acrylic / nylon / polyester / pvc / spandex - basically anything containing plastic, meaning it’s not going to biodegrade or recycle very easily. Fabrics that contain mixes of fibres also mean it’s much more tricky to recycle at the end of use.

5. Mend your favourites

We’ve all got that one piece we adore and wear into the ground. What about when it finally tears or gets a stain?

It doesn’t have to be the end. Mending is pretty therapeutic while you’re watching Netflix or lying in the park this summer.

I got into an old Japanese style of mending called sashiko or boro, after seeing experts on Instagram beautifully mending denim. After seeing their work, I watched some YouTube tutorials and managed to fix Huw’s old Sunspel jumper that was riddled with holes, and my old Levi's jeans.

Here’s a great site to inspire your denim repairs.