Caring for clothes: how and why people maintain garments in regular use

ABSTRACT

There is a common perception that people do not care for the clothes they own. We regularly hear that clothing users discard garments early and replace them frequently with inexpensive, poor quality items. Although these points are justifiable when considered in relation to the 92 million tonnes of textile waste generated annually, it is inaccurate to suggest that all clothing users care little for all the items of clothing they own. Rather, within most wardrobes it is possible to find garments that are worn often and carefully maintained. While there is much discussion on the reasons why clothing users no longer wear or keep clothes, the data on clothing that is kept, maintained and regularly worn is limited. This paper discusses the findings from two empirical studies with clothing users recruited through purposeful sampling. Data was gathered through quantitative and qualitative approaches, including a survey, observation and semi-structured interviews. The paper offers insight into the everyday experiences of selecting and maintaining clothes for regular use and goes on to suggest how this knowledge can impact the way in which garments are designed for an extended and active life, thus reducing textile waste.

KEYWORDS:

• Garments
• clothing users
• repair
• maintenance
• regular use

Acknowledgments

The studies discussed in this article were supported with funding from the Art and Design Research Centre (ADRC) at Sheffield Hallam University, UK.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

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Alison Gwilt

Alison Gwilt is an author, researcher and Associate Professor at the University of New South Wales, Australia. Her research examines the innovative design methods and approaches that enable the fashion and textiles community, from educators, to producers, and consumers, to adopt more circular and sustainable practices. Her books include, A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion (Bloomsbury 2^nd ed. 2020), Global Perspectives on Sustainable Fashion (Bloomsbury 2019), Fashion Design for Living (Routledge 2015) and Shaping Sustainable Fashion (Routledge 2011).