First Published via HUB Magazine when I was Culture Editor.

Date Published: 18th October 2022.

Trends come into fashion as quickly as they leave. The only thing left behind is hordes of materials. Many have turned to fast fashion for cheaper alternatives as the cost-of-living crisis continues to sink its teeth into our wallets. We may not see the effect of fast fashion, but it comes at a high cost to those employed to make clothes; from the inhumane environments, they are forced to work into working for less than minimum wage. The fast fashion industry continues to prove it does not care about the wages given to a predominantly female workforce nor the environmental impact they create. It only cares about turning and increasing a profit.

As students, we can change our behaviour for the better. There are many things we can do, even if that is wearing old clothes and fixing them when needed. Another example is renting, which ‘WearMyWardrobeOut’ specialises in. ‘WearMyWardrobeOut’ is a sustainable fashion company that aims to reduce waste, repurpose old clothing, and promote circular fashion. Circular fashion seeks to use all the materials that are currently in circulation.

Maria Loria takes good quality material from second-hand shops and repurposes it for beautiful dresses. My personal favourite is when the repurposing of old curtains, which she turns into gorgeous dresses with a retro feel. To her, it is all about creativity and thinking outside the box. Not only does Maria work with curtains, but she has also worked with varying mediums, such as the small sample sizes left over from fashion companies.

Maria Loria aims for zero waste, whether mixing materials or creating separate pieces from the materials, such as collars. The pieces at ‘WearMyWardrobeOut’ are one of a kind, being both unique and environmentally friendly. Maria Loria also tries to alter already bought fast fashion items to fit people better, a task that can prove challenging with the material on hand.

Whereas most vintage clothing is made from cotton, fast fashion tends to be made with polyester. Not only is polyester massively devasting for the environment as it is another type of plastic, but the material itself does not take damage very well. Therefore, it is important to consider the materials that stay with us and whether we plan to throw them away, donate them or wear them. For example, Maria Loria often mixes different materials to make a dress, so nothing goes to waste.

Next time you consider throwing away your old clothing, think about donating it to charity or repurposing it into something you can love again.