{eco lifestyle} junkyard planet: accessible + robust resources

“The paradox of life lies exactly in this: its resources are finite, but it itself is endless. Such a contradictory state of affairs is feasible only because the resources accessible to life can be used over and over again.”

— I.I. Gitelson

textiles are a robust resource meant to be used again + again {gently used bedding + towels can be donated, and pre-loved clothes can be sold, traded or donated}. 

in the u.s. consumers recycle or donate only 15% of their unwanted clothing to charities {with the rest ending up in landfills}. the average american tosses 80 pounds {36 kilograms} of textile waste each year. every year.  that's 13 million tons of clothing. 

over the years, i've learned of inventive + thoughtful ways textiles {including shoes} can be transformed: 

paint it black:

following the assassination of president kennedy in 1963, jacqueline kennedy sent bill cunningham, fashion writer, photographer + milliner, her red balenciaga suit which she had previously purchased at chez ninon to dye black. she wore this suit to the funeral. 

art imitates life:

american graffiti artist jean-michel basquiat used his then-girlfriend's newly thrifted gold lame jacket as canvas. she recounts the story of waking up the following day to find her new coat painted over. all is fair in love and art.

a changed man:

a co-worker's grandfather took out his grandmother on their first date, and at the time he only owned one pair of shoes, so he dyed his shoes a different color each time they had a new date, rotating the colors to change the look + style of his outfits. the rest is history. 

eight is enough:

a friend who is one of eight siblings comes from a modest background; her mother recycled her satin, ivory wedding dress by cutting + sewing the white fabric into petite frocks for each of her brothers + sisters to wear in church at their christenings.

hidden treasures:

both in america + europe there are lots of wonderful thrift shops + consignment shops to buy pre-loved clothes + accessories and to sell/donate clothes that are no longer wanted or needed. crossroads + buffalo exchange are good places to start if you're stateside. chine machine + chercheminippes are great places in paris. craiglist is the place to sell household textiles in the usa, and boincoin is the place to do it in france. this is a great way to give pre-loved items a new life.

caring for your clothes extends their life. both new and vintage items sometimes need a little tlc: if you don't sew, find a local tailor {or take a class if you're truly inspired!}. i love to sew, and i enjoy the relationship i have with my clothes which involves simple fixes + mending {cutting loose threads + snipping off pills is also part of keeping clothes in good condition}. simple fixes might also include:

1/ securing + replacing buttons

2/ mending loose hems

3/ sewing small tears + pinholes

4/ replacing stretched-out elastic + bringing in over-sized pieces {i save these tasks for tailors}

before donating apparel, author + slow fashion activist elizabeth cline shares useful tips on how to properly donate clothes. 

the less we purchase, the less to discard + the fewer textiles we need to organize into piles to donate. before you make your next purchase, here's a great video from erin at my green closet, sharing 5 simple factors to consider to reduce consumption + to help you decide whether you truly need to make that purchase.

{don't forget the tip} each and every one of the pieces pictured here today - all are vintage + secondhand piece - have been cared for via alterations + mending. my capsule wardrobe takes summer pieces into the winter months: transition warm-weather apparel to fall + winter by layering! on warm weather days i'll pop summer dresses + skirts on with sandals + a jean jacket, and as autumn settles upon us, i'll layer the same pieces under a jean jacket or faux leather moto jacket {sometimes both} + add black stockings/tights and my animal-friendly kicks including wedges. sneakers and booties.

until next time, stay green dear hearts!

{header image by a. demt}