Growing up as a child in South America I was often fortunate to have clothes made especially for me by a local seamstress. When we returned to Canada our financial situation meant almost all of our clothes were previously loved. My siblings and I joked that we shopped at "Le Bag," because our clothing came from bags donated to us.
When I worked for an non-profit, I visited a garbage dump where people lived and picked through the trash for items to use and sell. It's unfathomable to me that people actually throw clothing in the garbage (aside from underpants and socks). Thrift stores can sell damaged textiles, and the blanket or towel that's not good enough for humans is appreciated by pet shelters.
I can't stomach the price of brand new clothing and I'm disappointed by the lack of selection in stores. Shopping at Salvation Army thrift stores means I can find a massive selection of brands and styles in my size, and almost everything is "one of a kind."
MEND - REPAIR - REWEAR
Over 75% of the 53 million tonnes of textiles produced globally every year are discarded.
"Whether you have 'invested' in a designer shirt or whether you buy high-street stuff, the same recipe applies: when it breaks, don't give up - have it fixed. The shirt will benefit, your community will benefit, as will the planet and the people who make our clothes: because theca of caring for your clothes [...] is a powerful signal for brands. Just as important as voting with your wallet, you are voting with your common sense, and you are saying: Slow down, we have enough; we want better - not more. See? You are starting to go somewhere way further than your local dry cleaner, because you are actively walking towards a more considerate, intelligent future."
MENDING IS A REVOLUTIONARY ACT
"Mending techniques themselves have an intrinsic beauty, requiring precision combined with resourcefulness [...] because if we look at mending through that lens, we can clearly see that each piece we repair is spectacular, unique, the product of artistry, invention and our time.
Making mending visible is a declaration of intent. [...] we mean to mend our trousers as we mend our environment; we will repair our broken clothes and the broken systems alike."
While I struggle with a sewing machine, I am handy enough with a needle and thread and can mend missing buttons, holes, and hems. I still don't give a darn about darning socks though... maybe an actual darner would make it smoother but with my stitching I think it's lumpy and uncomfortable. I have also drawn the line at making headbands and scrunchies out of sock cuffs. I do what I can where I can and I think if we all do just a little more it makes a difference.
"TAKING THE TIME TO MAKE SOMETHING FROM NOTHING IS A POLITICAL ACT IN A WORLD DRIVEN BY OVERCONSUMPTION."
"It takes four days for a major fashion CEO to earn what a female garment worker in Bangladesh will earn in her entire lifetime, according to Oxfam's Reward Work, Not Wealth paper of January 2018."
de Castro shares a fairly hilarious description of an anatomical analysis of modern jeans: "I concluded that he must have spent quite a bit of time rubbing his thighs with something rough. At one point he might have been mauled by a dog that bit his right leg, or perhaps he stumped upon some sharp object..." and that this person was telling us "quite openly, via the trousers that he wore - that he had been suffering from such a prolonged and severe case of diarrhoea! [...] I have progressed to identify several distress designs that tell the story of some distinctly eccentric life choices, or terrible illnesses."
This book has an interesting style, with the overall font feeling a little small but interspersed with larger font and images. It includes a Further Reading section with titles of books; films and documentaries; and zines, publications, and online resources. The final chapter, "All Together Now," has monthly suggestions for action.
Thanks for the interesting review. I have zero patience for shopping in thrift stores -- including at times in my life when I had very little income. Also, thrift stores (like used bookstores) are murderous on allergies and asthma. My strategy is to buy less, then always donate or give away what no longer works. I know the issues with clothing donations, but at least the clothes will have a longer life. One invisible root of the issue is the devaluation of labour. Clothes should be a lot more expensive -- cheap clothing, which leads to overconsumption, comes at a very high price. (I have a great article about this, saved for sharing.)
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