Reuse, Rewear, Repair

It is the new year and time for a lifestyle change. While it’s daunting to contemplate the many issues that we need to tackle to achieve greater social equity and environmental sustainability — especially in our everyday lives — small, individual actions can add up to make a difference. Here are some tips to get you started on simply reusing, repairing and rewearing, all to inspire care and support for our natural world.  

Reuse

Reusing is easy, fun and you can start small. Check your closets and attics for items that you no longer need but can still be useful. Find it a new purpose or give it away. Organize a clothing or book swap with friends, family and neighbors to make a great find while reducing waste in landfills. Plan and prepare now for a yard sale when the weather turns sunny and warm. Donate to libraries, churches, community centers, thrift stores, shelters, schools and nonprofit organizations so they can distribute to those in need or sell for their benefit. Before you toss away your items, simply check to see if it’s of use to someone else. 

So many objects in your office, home or workshop are reuseable, if you can get creative! Takeout containers can be washed and reused for storing tomorrow’s dinner leftovers or packed lunches. Fancy porcelain plates can also function as plant pot trays, collecting excess water in style. Glass jars make great containers for everything — buttons, coins, paintbrushes or pencils — as well as drinking cups or forcing vases for bulbs. Shipping boxes and their fillings can be reused for future mailing. Wine bottles can be cleaned and repurposed as water storage for indoor plants who like their drinks at room temperature. Plastic bread bags, shaken and cleaned, can also serve as trash bags for dog walks or diaper pails.  

You can find anything used, from clothing to furniture to tools. And usually, these items are less expensive and as good as new. Consignment shops, thrift stores, antique stores, used furniture stores and estate sales abound in the Philadelphia region. FABSCRAP is a one-stop shop for fashion students, crafters, designers and quilters to find suitable ‘recycled’ fabrics for their projects — you can also donate your own materials to be reused in other ways! The Resource Exchange also operates a shop, gallery and workshop space and redirects donated items to artists, builders, educators and the general public.  

Retailers and companies — including Walmart, Nordstrom, Eileen Fisher, Patagonia, Buffalo Exchange and REI — are starting to sell slightly used clothing. If you need to make a purchase or donate an item, check out their websites to discover how you can get involved. There are also dozens of secondhand and vintage fashion apps and sites to explore, such as ThredUp, Poshmark, Tradesy and Grailed. And for everything else, don’t forget about eBay! You can also buy, sell or give away used items on Facebook Marketplace or a local Buy Nothing group. 

Rewear 

Rewearing sometimes takes a bit of innovation. Set aside a day and shop your own closet — in other words, find new ways to wear older styles and garments instead of buying pieces to create a look. Try mixing patterns or solid colors in unique ways. Dress up or down by pairing your sweaters and suit jackets. Dust off your fancy scarves or ties and see how they look with a pair of jeans. The possibilities are endless.  

This creativity really shines when you challenge yourself to a selective wardrobe. Tens of thousands of people around the world have participated in the minimalist fashion idea, Project 333. For three months, select 33 items or fewer to wear, including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear and shoes. Revisit your wardrobe and make any necessary changes. Although the original goal of Project 333 was to embrace simplicity, this exercise in mindful consumption promotes sustainable fashion habits and encourages rewearing! 

Reliable staple items in our wardrobes help make rewearing easy, and one of those garments is jeans. Over 450 million pairs of jeans are purchased in the United States each year. Denim is typically made of cotton, a crop that requires thousands of gallons of water and high levels of insecticides to produce. The fabric is typically dyed with synthetic indigo and then repeatedly treated and washed with a variety of chemicals to bleach, soften and fade them.  

But a good pair of jeans can last many years and be worn in all different styles. Whenever possible, invest in durable, well-made clothes that will become go-to favorites and wardrobe staples. Remember, you don’t need to wash your jeans after every single wear, especially if you weren’t digging in the garden. Launder your clothes less frequently and rewear those denims multiple times to ultimately help reduce our collective water usage. Be sure to use detergents that come in paper boxes instead of plastic or even consider making your own! 

Repair

Buying less and caring for what you already own is the best way to reduce your environmental footprint. By choosing to repair your clothes, watches, bikes, furniture or even electronics, you are rejecting throwaway consumer culture in favor of a more ecologically friendly approach. Supporting the right to repair starts small and can make a difference in our global use of environmental resources. 

Repairing your clothes can be as simple as a few stitches. A small tear, a new button or a broken zipper can be fixed by hand. For more difficult tasks, find and support a good local tailor or a cobbler for your shoes. You can also try visible mending, which delights in patches and brightly colored stitching to catch the eye. Patches can be made from other garments you no longer want. Before buying a replacement, consider repairing it first. 

Don’t forget that it can be gratifying to make clothing by hand, whether through knitting, crocheting, sewing or weaving. Find and join local groups, like the Philadelphia Guild of Handweavers, to discover the thriving world of artisan crafters. The process of creating handcrafted garments helps reduce waste in landfills, makes it easier to mend and allows you to source sustainable materials. Perhaps consider learning a new hobby this year — and support the environment, too! 

You can support the Academy’s research efforts to understand the natural world and inspire everyone to care for it by becoming a member or donating.

Tú también puedes apoyar los proyectos de investigación de la Academia, y así ayudar a entender y proteger la riqueza natural convirtiéndote en miembro o haciendo una donación a nuestras colecciones científicas.