How many times will I wear this?

Join us in taking the #30wears challenge.

From a very young age, my mother has always told me what it was like for her growing up and how different our experiences are. We have similar interests especially our obsession with fashion; yet the fashion industry from then till now is world’s apart. Growing up in the 60’s and working from a very young age, my Mum explains how long it would take her to save for a beautiful coat or staple skirt; a piece which would brighten up her wardrobe and which she could add accessories or other garments to transform the outfit completely.

This could not be more different to the world that we now live in. Fast fashion has taken the industry by storm. It has never been so easy to buy a garment of your choice, often having multiples of the same item in your closet. Instead of having one gorgeous jacket that has been saved for, worn and worn and truly appreciate, we have numerous items and will still continue to buy more.

Many campaigners have attacked ‘Throwaway Fashion’ due to ethical concerns and the amount of waste that is created from impulse buyers. Livia Firth, an ethical fashion supporter, has strong views regarding this and has launched a 30 wear challenge on which she asks people to think ‘Will I wear this 30 times?’. And if the answer is yes, then buy it.

Firth, 46, said: “When I grew up, fast fashion didn’t exist so when I bought things, I never had money, but I saved for a year to buy a coat. I’d save for five months to buy a dress.

Everything had a memory attached to it, it had a purpose. I filled my sustainable wardrobe in time and I still have those clothes. Today we don’t think about that any more.”

With high street companies such as Primark, New Look and Topshop selling clothes at affordable prices, shoppers have the ability to buy many items each payday, only wearing them each a few times.

“What’s happened to us as consumers is we now buy on impulse,” Firth said. “We don’t really care about what we buy. We buy and discard.”

As shoppers we often do not stop and consider why a garment is so cheap. Many people do not realise the cost is only possible because the garment workers who made it do not recieve a 'fair living wage' and are working and living in appalling conditions. Feeling very passionate about this, Livia Firth travelled across to Bangladesh and Cambodia, seeing for herself the extent of which women were being exploited just to make our clothing.

So we are asking you to consider the ethical implications of your clothing, to stop and think about what you are buying. At The White T-shirt Co our organic cotton t-shirts are made to last and we would like to think will last over a 100 wears – do let us know!

Just like ourselves, many retailers are starting to adopt this concept and take the sustainable step forward. And if everyone works together and shows their support, the lives of many women across the world would improve… and we women should stick together.

So join us in taking up the #30wears challenge and develop your own wardrobe of memories.