How sustainable is your clothing?

What makes a garment a durable garment? How do you put together your personal collection in an ethically responsible way? 5 criteria for sustainable clothing.

Sustainable design

A commitment to sustainability is already possible at the design stage. Choices during the design process determine how long a piece remains 'good'. Is the material very fragile? Will the material quickly show signs of wear and tear?

Local production

Where was your garment made and who worked on it? Look at the label and think about which way an item of clothing already travelled and who paid the price for it. Of course, the more local the better.

Clean pieces

The sustainability of clothing is not just in its material and production, but also in its use. Do you have pieces that are fragile or have a tendency to show signs of wear and tear? Give them the necessary care, but don't put your washing machine to work unnecessarily. Wash delicate items by hand, steam while you take a shower or use the iron to steam vertically.

Recycling

Clothing that consists of one type of fibre is generally the most durable clothing. The pieces are the easiest to recycle, which increases the chance of a second life. Because combined fibres are more difficult to separate during recycling processes, they soon end up in the incinerator. Zippers, labels and cards also make the recycling process more difficult. The §2.SWEATER therefore does not include a label, but the label is embroidered on the sweater.

In the field of recycling, there are still many challenges in the fashion industry. An innovation to look forward to is resortecs: meltable yarn, which makes it much easier to disassemble clothing. Materials I soon hope to be experimenting with!

The perfect fit

Are you considering adding a new piece to your wardrobe? Then check if it's a perfect match with your current items. That means that the potential new piece will fit on many other items in your wardrobe. Also make sure it's not an "occasion piece": a piece that you only buy and wear for one special occasion. Of course you also want the piece to fit. Nobody wants their clothes to be too tight or too narrow.

And always keep in mind: the best purchase is the one you don't make. Go for a minimal wardrobe, because less clothes is less pollution. You don't need to have as many pieces as possible for an interesting wardrobe. Because, after all, that's what we all want, don't we?