2024 CC Goal.
(Clothing Consumption)
In 2022, I tracked my purchases and realised I was an average Australian consumer - Australians buy an average of 56 items per year.
In 2023, I set myself a goal to purchase 26 items - half as much as the year before, which was achieved and helped me regain clarity around what clothes are essential to me and the pieces I enjoyed wearing the most.
In 2024, I am reducing the number of new pieces of clothing to 15 while adding unlimited pre-loved.
Second hand clothes were a defining part of my childhood, not by choice or creative freedom, but out of necessity. Boxes from my grandmother would arrive hand chosen for us, but reminicent of decades gone by - I enjoyed these clothes when I was younger, but as a teenager wanting to fit in with my friends, I rememeber the tone changed. A strong memory from the ages of 10 to 15 is lying on the wooden floor boards in my childhood home, looking through junk mail catalogues and creating magical wishlist of all the things I wanted to buy. It was only recently that I realise how deeply affected I was by this time in my childhood and how an unconscious positive association with new clothes motivated most of my adult behaviour.
Why unlimited pre-love?
Having a consumption goal feels like the key to unlocking a mindset and way of shopping that aligns with my values, but there is also a lot of pressure in making the right choices. As I continue to work towards a positive relationship with clothes, I also want to continue my love and belief in them as an opportunity for expression, identity and connection. The unlimited number will allow me to be more experimental with my style while learning how to shop pre-loved - a habit I want to create and sustain well into the future.
This year I invite you to take the challenge with me and consume less either by following in my footsteps or defining your own path that align with your values. Australia is the second largest consumer of textiles in the world, I believe in the power of clothes, but not at the cost of other people or the planet. I hope you’ll join me on this journey.
- Liz