Recycle, reduce, reuse The three R's are often applied to styrofoam, plastic, paper, and soda cans. But they also apply to clothes and accessories.
It's a world of waste (use-and-toss, disposables, single-use-only) and Americans produce more garbage than any other country in the world (you knew that, right?). But I bet you didn't know that it takes 10 plastic soda bottles to make one new sweater, and five can make enough fiberfill for a ski jacket. 4% of all trash is clothing and textiles - about 10 million tons!!!
So it's time to stop and think. Before you toss that shirt just because you're bored, consider wearing it again. We often wash clothes that aren't even dirty (there was a time when people washed shirts after wearing them 10 times carefully), wasting water and destroying clothes prematurely. So, think before you toss those clothes in the hamper. Save your towels and your socks.
If it doesn't fit or you just can't wear it anymore, give it away. Charity stores make money off of it and often give rags for recycling. It's a double benefit.
If it's a torn shirt, try mending it. You can often just sew it up or pin it easily, or add on a patch or embroider it to look good. It's worth finding a friend who can sew. You can also cut up your clothes to cover up those torn spots (see last issue).
Once it's far gone, use it as a rag around the home. Or send it off to charity. Really destroyed clothes can be cut up and made into new ones, or even pulled apart to make paper or new cloth. You can even use fabric strips to make ribbons, weave rugs, or try out another new craft.
With accessories, it's worth buying a battery instead of a new watch (recycle the old battery), and repairing that purse, and mending the shoes. Remember to think about how much you use of materials with everything you do, and you'll help keep your closet not only fashion conscious but environmentally conscious as well.