Australian designers on how to buy better and reduce fashion waste

How to fill gaps in your closet to increase the cost-per-wear.

From a viral social marketing campaign spruiking the cost-per-wear of recycled designer labels to a runway at last month’s Australian Fashion Week sending an old collection down the runway (again) to make a point about waste, it seems the wider fashion industry may finally be getting on board the sustainability train.

But when Aussies are throwing away a whopping 210,000 tonnes of fashion waste per year, how do we ensure that we’re purchasing more consciously? The answer is not quite as complex as you might think.

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In the wake of what seems like increasingly rampant overconsumption despite increasing cost of living pressures, a recent Choosi survey found that we’re spending up to 187 hours a year decluttering our wardrobes to get rid of unwanted stuff – and Gen Z and millennials are the biggest over-purchase offenders. The report found that Gen Z (39 per cent) and millennials (35 per cent) had to clean out clutter at least once a week compared to baby boomers (17 per cent).

So when we’re all suffering from the financial challenges of inflation, why do we have so much stuff in our wardrobes that we’re almost drowning in it? Where are we going wrong? And, perhaps more importantly, why can’t we just stop buying clothing we don’t even like?

What a waste

Chatting to Jac + Jack co-founder Jac Hunt, it’s clear there’s a lot of concern about fashion waste within the industry – despite the role fashion brands play in generating new products. “It’s concerning,” Hunt says.

“It shows that we aren’t as considered as perhaps we should be and perhaps we aren’t valuing longevity and quality. Less is more, and the sheer volume of waste in clothing has to go somewhere. There are groups and businesses that are working hard to deal with this waste in a positive way, but the excess far outweighs this at this stage.”

Omar Sabré, co-founder and Creative Director of luxe Sydney accessories brand Maison de Sabré, believes our endless need for decluttering is a result of the lure of trend churn, and overwhelmingly cheap products saturating the market in order to appeal to the cash-strapped consumer.

“Consumers are buying into trends,” says Sabré. “There are no longer seasons – there are nanoseconds between viral moments that send consumers into senseless purchasing decisions they often later regret and feel are no longer able to wear. Fast fashion can often look good when first worn, however after a night out, wash and second rendezvous, the fit may seem to falter and feel more like the hundredth wear, due to the quality of fabrics and fabrications.”

But while it’s easy to point fingers at the consumer for their often later-unwanted purchases, it’s important to delve deeper into the drivers for our addiction – and find ways to ensure we’re doing better, from all corners of the fashion industry. After all, most of our addiction is unconscious; often the result of unrecognised avoidance behaviour and compulsions driven by a hit of dopamine.

While the consumer must wrestle with getting their mental health in check to reduce overconsumption from their side, part of the onus on the fashion industry lies in ensuring that the product on offer is sustainable and isn’t going to generate concerning, long-term waste problems.

“It’s a re-education in some ways,” says Hunt. “We have gotten used to the fact that pieces of clothing are inexpensive… We can be more transparent as brands about this, and inform our customers better – educate and understand their needs also. It’s a two-way street.”

A lot of that education lies in helping the consumer recognise more sustainable fabrication. With the rise of ultra-fast fashion in recent years, we’re seeing an increase in an array of products made from plastics and petroleum. Not only do these products harm the environment in their manufacture as well as their disposal, but they also don’t tend to wear well, are more prone to damage from washing and rarely provide longevity in our wardrobes.

Hunt tells me that Jac + Jack tend to stick to natural fibres to ensure longer wear. Sabré makes the argument for natural leathers over the ‘vegan’ or plastic alternatives currently flooding the market, pointing out that synthetics don’t deliver as well as natural leather in both the environmental and longevity stakes.

Designer Rochelle Gregory, from celebrity cult brand Rocky Rafaela, also uses natural leathers due to a sustainability concern with using PU and PVC. She explains she’s keen to work with more plant-based leathers that represent a more sustainable ‘vegan’ product. “Vegan leather is not the product it’s marketed as… Leather will always be around, and the way to achieve better sustainable goals would be to move toward plant-based leather… for example mushroom or pineapple leather.”

Fast or flimsy?

Unfortunately, consumers haven’t quite got the message about the real cost of buying cheap clothing yet: in a sad milestone this month, it was revealed by the Sydney Morning Herald that ultra-fast fashion behemoth Shein has surpassed $1 billion in local sales and more than tripled their profits in 2023. Meanwhile, we’re seeing cornerstone local brands, like Dion Lee, toppling into voluntary administration due to rising costs for luxury brands to bring quality clothing to market.

“In today’s world, silk and leather have increased dramatically in cost,” says Gregory, “however, we will continue to use the same quality and (must) change prices accordingly… the materials and the manufacturing process are expensive and do take longer, but the end the product is a piece you want to take care of, love and hang in your wardrobe for a lifetime.”

“In order for brands to remain competitive they must compete on price,” says Sabré, “and this is at the expense of quality materials and craft. The market is a balance of supply and demand – and if the demand for low-cost items decreases, the supply of poorly made and unsustainable garments will too. Consumers need to make better purchasing decisions.”

So how do we buy better, and ensure that we’re actually saving money by purchasing more consciously? The first step has to lie in taking responsibility for our own consumption. Are we shopping to fill a genuine need (for example, it’s winter and we need a jumper) or are we shopping to patch a mental health issue? Is buying excessive, unwanted clothing actually making us feel better or is it making us feel worse as we look at our overflowing wardrobes and empty bank accounts?

Sabré suggests that the first place to look when considering your next purchase is the swing tag – to check the fabrication of the piece you’re willing to purchase. “The composition of the item is one of the most important aspects – I tend to try and avoid synthetics as much as possible. I also look for small details about the workmanship, the quality of the stitching, and the way the panels come together. I prioritise quality of the garment over quantity.”

Gregory agrees that the devil is in the detail when shopping for a sustainable wardrobe. “When fashion is cheap you have to think about where it is coming from and who is making it. Why is it so cheap? It’s the little things you don’t see that can cheapen a garment like the thread strength and materials, which is also why they don’t last as long… I think we just need to keep reminding ourselves of what we are actually putting on our body and who made it.”

So, step one: stop buying ultra-cheap plastic clothing with questionable ethical origins – it just won’t last. Step two: check the swing tag for natural fabrications that will stand the test of time. Step three: rediscover ways to wear what you already have, instead of throwing it away. Saving the world might not be so hard after all.

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