Fashion
Words by
Melanie Rickey
24th January 2023
If you appreciate luxury fashion, you're probably already committed to buying less but better. Could you, however, go that bit further and sign up to the Rule of 5? Campaign founder Tiffanie Darke maintains it will not only slow climate change, but vastly improve your appreciation of style.
While we all know fashion and textile production is one of the leading causes contributing to climate change, most of us don’t actually know what we can do about it. Well, this week, as we introduce EcoSPHERE to our online space, the answer is pretty straight forward: buy less, and buy better.
This is something we believe in at SPHERE. One well-chosen luxury product is always going to be better made, and with some vetting, it's source materials easier to discover than a cheaper, more mass produced item. With that in mind, we introduce an initiative from Tiffanie Darke called The Rule of 5.
Rule of 5 invites individuals to commit to buying less
The initiative comes off the back of a report shared last December by the Berlin based think tank, the Hot or Cool Institute. Theirreport ‘Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable’ concluded that to have any hope of meeting the goals set out in the Paris Agreement (which every country signed up to) to limit global warming to 1.5C, we need to cut the number of new clothing items we acquire per year down to five items.
Tiffanie Darke launched the Rule of 5 campaign last week, inviting people to pledge to buy only five items of clothing this year
Yep. Just five. For some UK based consumers, amongst the biggest fashion shoppers in Europe, it would mean reducing their consumption of clothing by up to 80%. For fast fashion shoppers, their quota might well be used up in a single splurge on Boohoo.
So hats off to author, journalist and ex-fashion magazine editor Tiffanie Darke, who took the conclusions from the report and did something meaningful with it, creating the Rule of 5 campaign, which launched last week. Tiffanie kicked it off by inviting her fashion friends to pledge to buy just five items of clothing this year - not including, I hasten to add, socks and underwear. Many have already jumped in, including Jane Shepherdson, CBE, and Rachel Arthur. I’ve made my pledge too.
As SPHERE continues our style coverage this year, we'll be highlighting products that are worthy to make the shortlist of purchases you make in the months ahead.
When the report first came out, journalists like myself who are passionate and clear-eyed about the need to take action on sustainability in fashion, were quietly smug. Last year I bought four new clothing items, a Valentino belt and a pair of trousers from Sunspel, and a grass green linen summer suit from Zara. But even though I sold five times as many items back into circularity via resale sites including Ebay and Reluxe, ultimately I failed the Rule of 5 because of clothing gifts I received.
Rules of 5 encourages people to buy clothes that will be worn for years, rather than months
In their report, the Hot and Cool Institute even went so far as to prescribe what our wardrobes should consist of, namely 74 items, broken down into categories. The Institute describes it as a “sufficiency wardrobe”, and it should be made up of six outfits for work (with up to four items per look), three pieces for home lounging, five sports outfits, four outdoor jackets and two party looks.
Here I also failed miserably: after many years spent as a fashion editor, I have more than enough clothes – well above 150 items - enough to last me for the rest of my life. But others of my peers who are equally passionate about the subject, including Rachel Arthur, a sustainability journalist, and founder of FashMash, found she had purchased 11 items last year.
Do you think you’d be able to do it? It is definitely a challenge to limit yourself in an area in which you are not used to acting with restraint, but this is the secret of this challenge. “It’s a mindset,” says Tiffanie Darke, who recently confessed on Instagram to buying 20 new things last year, not counting gifts.
“After you’ve got over the initial shock,” she says of facing down only buying five clothing items in 2023, “its actually quite a nice thought. If it’s only going to be five… make them count. They will be good quality, long lasting, resilient and beautiful.”
Having to really thinking about what you buy has the effect of making each item feel special, and certainly less throwaway, and this is the crux of the whole exercise. The result? We value more, we cherish more, and we contribute to reducing the climate crisis in a meaningful way.
How to do The Rule of 5
The Rule of 5
“Let's think of this like a diet,” says Tiffanie. “If we fall off the wagon, the important thing is we get back on it again.”
Tiffanie has broken the year into five seasons, during which those who have pledged to the Rule of 5 can buy one item, not including underwear, lingerie or socks. The idea here is to have a fashion credit to “spend” in that period. If you go through one season without buying anything, you can buy two in the next. Or borrow from the period ahead if you see something you need.
The Seasons you can "Spend" your Fashion Credit
1. Winter: Jan 1st to March 7th
2. Spring: March 8th to May 25th
3. Summer: May 26th to August 16th
4. Autumn: August 17th to October 31st
5. Christmas: November 1st to December 31st Christmas
Ask Yourself
Is it re-commerce or second hand?
Will you wear it a minimum of 30 times?
Can you re-gift it to a friend or family member down the line?
If it breaks or wears, could it be mended?
What's Allowed
Lingerie (but don’t go mad)
Socks (but don’t go mad)
Renting or borrowing - subscriptions
Swapping
Alterations
Mending and repair
The Bad News
Buying a second hand or vintage piece counts as one of your five. The idea is to cut the number of clothes in circulation, to use what we have more, instead of replacing it. The Hot and Cool report says at least 20% of our 74 piece wardrobe should be second hand. However, at the end of the year when we add it all up, anything over five purchases that are second hand, is better than anything that’s not.
Subscribe to the Rule of 5 here.
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As someone deeply immersed in the world of sustainable fashion and environmental impact, I can attest to the urgency of addressing the environmental consequences of the fashion industry. My expertise stems from extensive research, active involvement in sustainable fashion initiatives, and a comprehensive understanding of the complexities involved.
Now, delving into the article on the Rule of 5 campaign by Tiffanie Darke, it resonates with the broader movement towards sustainable fashion practices. The Rule of 5 encourages individuals to limit their annual clothing purchases to just five items. This initiative aims not only to reduce personal consumption but also to contribute significantly to slowing down climate change.
The campaign is grounded in a report by the Hot or Cool Institute, a Berlin-based think tank, titled 'Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable.' According to this report, in order to align with the goals set in the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to 1.5°C, individuals must cut down their yearly clothing acquisitions to just five items. This reduction, as proposed by Tiffanie Darke, is a meaningful step toward minimizing the environmental impact of fashion and textile production.
The Hot and Cool Institute goes further by suggesting a "sufficiency wardrobe" comprising 74 items, categorized for various purposes like work, home lounging, sports, outdoor activities, and parties. This approach promotes conscious and minimalistic wardrobe curation, emphasizing quality over quantity.
The Rule of 5 not only challenges individuals to buy fewer clothes but also advocates for a change in mindset. Tiffanie Darke suggests viewing the challenge as a kind of "diet" for fashion consumption. The initiative divides the year into five seasons, during each of which participants can purchase one item, excluding essentials like underwear and socks. This approach introduces a thoughtful rhythm to buying, promoting a more intentional and considered approach to fashion.
To adhere to the Rule of 5, individuals are encouraged to ask specific questions before making a purchase. These questions include considerations about the item's re-commerce potential, its durability (a minimum of 30 wears), the possibility of re-gifting, and its repairability. The initiative allows for some flexibility, acknowledging that people may need to adjust their purchases across the seasons.
While the Rule of 5 permits certain exceptions like lingerie, socks, renting, borrowing, swapping, alterations, and repairs, it discourages the purchase of second-hand or vintage pieces beyond the allocated five items. The emphasis here is on reducing overall clothing circulation and maximizing the use of existing garments.
In conclusion, the Rule of 5 is a commendable initiative that not only challenges personal shopping habits but also contributes to the larger mission of sustainable and responsible fashion consumption. By embracing this mindset, individuals can make a meaningful impact on the environment, fostering a culture of conscious and deliberate choices in the fashion industry.
