DIY sustainability – waste-less wardrobe

Our wardrobes are usually a good reflection of our personal style. But what about our environmental values? Let’s take a look. 

Waste-less in your wardrobe in 5 steps

Achieving a waste-less wardrobe may be as simple as thinking about your current habits – and then thinking about how you may be able to change them. We’ve shared a few simple ideas below. 

  1. Consider a wardrobe freeze. Cutting new clothing purchases is a great start to help you understand exactly what clothes you wear and how often you wear them. Even if it’s a mini freeze for a month or two, the environment (and your wallet) will thank you for it. You may even fall in love with your old items all over again!
  2. Get thrifty. There are so many wonderful reasons to shop second hand. Not only will you save money, but you can also uncover unique or vintage finds or even brand-new pieces still with tags. It’s also a fantastic way to support the community if dollars spent support a local charity. On campus at St Lucia, you can check out the UQ Union Op Shop or visit the secondhand stall at the Wednesday Markets.
  3. Make do and mend. Do your favourite pants have unravelling hems? Perhaps your most-loved shirt is missing a few buttons? You can find plenty of beginner-friendly tutorials online to help you bring your clothes back to life. UQ also hosts a regular Repair Café where you can drop in for a cuppa and a chat, and learn how to fix your treasured items while you’re at it. You could also consider taking your worn wares to a tailor for mending. 
  4. Consider your fabrics. Clothes made from renewable, natural fibres like hemp, cashmere, bamboo, wool, linen and tencel provide a great alternative to cotton and synthetics. These fibres usually have a smaller environmental impact than synthetic fibres and cotton, both during the production process and at the end of their life. Durability of fabric is also key to ensure you get as much wear as possible out of your clothes. The longer you wear them, the more sustainable your clothes will be. Check out our sustainable apparel purchasing guide.
  5. Be a savvy seller. Beyond donating to op shops, you could also sell your unwanted clothes online or at a local second-hand clothing market. These channels will help you to reduce waste, while also earning you some extra cash at the same time. Hosting a clothing swap also offers a fun and guilt-free alternative to refreshing your wardrobe while keeping fashion in the loop for longer.

Interested in finding out more? These tips are compiled using information from the following sources: Recycle Smart, Save the Children, Clean Up Australia, Brisbane City Council, City of Sydney.

Understanding the problem

Each year, every Australian typically buys around 56 pieces of non-sustainable, non-durable clothing, according to Clean Up Australia. We also dispose an average of 23 kilograms of clothing to landfill each year, which can take hundreds of years to break down. 

The most recent National Waste Report 2022 revealed Australians generated around 860 kilotonnes of textiles, leather and rubber waste — more than 16 times the weight of the Sydney Harbour Bridge! 

The donation of unusable and unsellable items to charity shops exacerbates the waste problem. The Australian Fashion Council has reported significant costs for charities associated with the disposal of unwearable clothing, including large volumes of hosiery and underwear. 

While the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is taking action to reduce the environmental impacts of waste related to clothing and textiles, we as individuals can also play our part in making more sustainable purchasing decisions and looking for ways to give our clothes a second life.

Understanding your impact

Being environmentally conscious and aware of our personal consumption patterns is key in helping to reduce our waste woes, as well as guiding better choices and promoting circular economy principles.

Ultimately, the purchases we make today translate to a production demand, meaning the more clothes we buy, the more clothes are manufactured. While it can be tempting to grab the cheapest or most convenient option on the rack, it’s important to remember everyone is part of the supply chain and has a role to play. Read more in our winter sustainability guide, which includes tips around buying winter clothes.

Online second-hand retailer, thredUP, has created a Fashion Footprint Calculator to help shoppers better understand their individual impact and which clothing habits matter most.

Where to next?

This is part of our DIY sustainability series, created for UQ Sustainability Week and beyond. The series offers simple suggestions and fun activities for students, staff and members of the public who would like to increase sustainability-related actions in their daily lives.

Find more DIY sustainability ideas.