What’s in your closet?

I have lost track of all the articles and online posts I have seen recently about New Year’s resolutions. One in particular struck a chord with me because it appealed to my anti-consumerist stance.

When I first saw the post on Planet Green about the Great American Apparel Diet I was, frankly, a bit scathing. Oh yes, thought I, what’s this another collection of over-dressed, couture-conscious middle class housewives wanting to look socially responsible by actually making use of the excessive collection of under-utilised fashions in their wardrobes?

Once I went to the website, however, and started reading some of the biographies of the women that are participating in this challenge, (which is basically not to buy themselves any clothing items for a year), I realised that I was wrong.

Far from being some fatuous, half-hearted guilt trip triggered by passing the second-hand store, it is a genuine attempt to re-evaluate just what is essential to our needs, be it clothing or anything else.

The decision to simply stop, take stock and change their usual consumptive behaviour is leading these women to think about their own attitudes and the importance of not just the clothing they buy, but where it comes from, how it is made, with what and by whom. It opens up for examination the whole concept of consumerism, corporatism, marketing and exploitation from cotton field to catwalk.

One of the participants, Elisabeth Flesher, has a terrific blog called I could sew do that, which has lots of tips of saving money by reusing and recycling clothes and cooking with raw, natural food ingredients. Some of her re-fashioned creations are available online on Etsy at the SerendipiT Shop.

Lounge Knickers with Tie Waist from Recycled Tshirts

Refashioned Handwoven Necklace with Black, Grey, Purple and Blue Chevrons

She also quoted this article from TreeHugger which gives an idea of the environmental impact (in this case upon water resources) of producing certain raw materials and a few common manufactured clothing items:

How Many Gallons of Water Does it Take to Make…

Pair of Jeans
It takes around 1,800 gallons of water to grow enough cotton to produce just one pair of regular ol’ blue jeans.

Cotton T-Shirt
Not as bad as jeans, it still takes a whopping 400 gallons of water to grow the cotton required for an ordinary cotton shirt.

One Pound of . . .
Wool: 101 gallons of water
Cotton: 101 gallons

So, as someone who actually hates buying clothes anyway (and even more, shoes), and tends to wear my apparel until well past its prime, I don`t feel the need to actually join the Great American Apparel Diet, but will follow its progress with interest.

My new year`s wish for the world: May your closets be emptier and your carbon footprint lighter!