Have you ever wondered how, in an age of rapid consumerism fueled by companies like Temu and Amazon, it might ever be possible to curb your spending habits and pare down the nagging desire for more? It may not be news, but the fashion industry is responsible for a whole lotta landfill. According to the BBC, around 85% of all textiles end up in landfills in the U.S.A. alone, and by 2030 it’s expected that more than 134 million tons- that’s right, tons- of textiles will be discarded in this way each year. Manufacturing clothes takes more than creative minds and visionaries. Precious resources like water are consumed to produce thousands of garments that are often used for a short amount of time. A lifecycle from purchase to closet to your dusty ‘maybe’ bin, and more than likely reaching a final destination in a landfill or incineration unit within a year or months time frame. It’s becoming more and more clear that ‘fast fashion’ is a fast ticket to pollution and environmental strains. Researchers, mechanical engineers and innovative thinkers are devotedly working on solutions that include producing compostable fibers from food waste, mechanisms that are better equipped to sort clothing fibers for effective recycling and extracting natural colors for dying from various types of algae. But, where do we come in? The non-engineers, the mothers, daughters, nature lovers, small business retail owners and the millions of people who live a life where a new piece of clothing is an exhilarating thing that brings fleeting satisfaction. Well, it turns out we have a role to play in all of this too.  Before you buy, Get Dressed Collective encourages you to ask yourself this simple question: is this something I will and can wear for the next three years? We challenge you to dive deep with this. Think about how often you might wear it and why you want it. There is no wrong answer here, and in fact, the more clear you can be with the intent of your purchase, the better choices you will make- both for yourself and this planet that we call home.

     At Get Dressed Collective, we are always evolving with these considerations. Much of our clothing is not meant to be trendy, fast or low quality. Our collection is rather meant to be something that you connect with for more than one holiday party or the first few months of a new job. We offer a carefully chosen, small selection of clothes based on the core value of doing less harm. And while we’re not perfect either, we know that change comes from both the top down and the bottom up. Somewhere in the middle, the consumers, sellers, engineers, manufacturers, business owners and problem solvers meet with shifted mindsets and the truly good feeling that we all did our part for positive change. Going into 2024, we challenge you to take the “Three-Year Resolution” and pause before you purchase your next round of cheap thrills. You might just surprise yourself and feel better doing it.

Until next time, keep it sunny (and for three years),

- GDC

Painting by Mie Olise Kjærgaard Danish, b. 1974