Signal 019, general - fashion - magazines - sustainable
2020-08-27
In The World Before, the fashion industry was polluter number 2 in the world. The world consumes about 80 billion new pieces of clothing every year, about 4 times more than the amount we consumed just two decades ago. We also discard clothing at exorbitant rates. The U.S. alone wastes more than 11 million tons of textile per year. Clothing has changed from a personal product to something disposable. We are over consuming textiles, but this might change in The World After.
The Scarcity Complex
For a long time, even until a few decades ago, repaired clothing, or repeated wearing of clothing was associated with poverty. A businessman could never wear a suit with a moth hole, or even a repaired moth hole even when everyone realised he was not poor. A sophisticated lady would not wear the same evening dress twice. This scarcity complex was inherited into our DNA. We tried to avoid repairing clothes or repeating our outfits. Now, as we live in times of excess, this inheritance makes us over consume on clothing, and avoid repairing textiles or repeating outfits. When a piece of clothing breaks, we outright dispose of it, as to avoid wearing something that is repaired.
Image credits: unknown
The Change
Many different industries are having a difficult time during the economic crisis that the coronavirus has created. All of a sudden, everyone is having financial troubles, and the taboo around it is therefore lifted. It’s no longer shameful to be bankrupt, or close to is. Corona is the obvious cause and makes it discussable with others. Reducing our personal spending is no longer something to be ashamed of. Trying to get by in any way possible is something we all seek and are respectful about towards each other, as companies or consumers.
Corona frees us from the scarcity complex.
Image credits 01 unknown 02 Sex and the City
Image credits 01 Movie Shopaholic 02 Sex and The City