How Many Times Do We Wear Our Clothes? (Not Enough!) | Sustainable Fashion Blog| Project Cece (2024)

Curious as to how many times we actually wear our clothes before condemning them to landfills?

Everyone has been guilty of thinking ‘I’ve nothing to wear’... while staring at a wardrobe packed full of clothes!

If it’s becoming a regular occurrence, however, let’s put it into perspective: the number of times you wear your clothes makes a HUGE difference to the planet.

More clothes… worn less

Have you ever bumped into a 70s skirt or jeans from the 80s?

We did!

And we were instantly impressed with how they felt in our hands and the fact that they could still be worn after so many years.

Nothing like those thin polyester garments from fast fashion stores!

The influence of fast fashion and social media

How Many Times Do We Wear Our Clothes? (Not Enough!) | Sustainable Fashion Blog| Project Cece (1)

Here’s what changed the way we conceive and consume clothes.

By focusing on cheapness rather than eco-friendly materials and fair working conditions (ugh!), fast fashion has brought its prices down to those of consumable everyday items.

These brands have also been offering new collections on a monthly or even weekly basis, pushing consumers to buy more to follow ephemeral trends and quench their #FOMO.

If that weren’t bad enough, ultra fast fashion giants like SHEIN or Boohoo made this industry even faster and more unethical.

Basically, clothes went from durable to disposable!

Social media was also key: from influencer collaborations to TikTok hauls and curated feeds where you’ll never see the same outfit twice, overconsumption is glorified.

The result?

How many times are clothes worn before being discarded?

On average, clothes are only worn seven times before being discarded.

And, if that weren’t shocking on its own, keep in mind that we also buy 60% more clothes than in the year 2000.

This leads to ridiculous quantities of textile waste: 18.6 million tonnes of clothing being thrown away around the world… every year.

How Many Times Do We Wear Our Clothes? (Not Enough!) | Sustainable Fashion Blog| Project Cece (2)

How much of our clothes do we wear?

According to Lauren Bravo, the author of How To Break Up With Fast Fashion, we only tend to wear 10% of our clothes on a day-to-day basis!

And how long do we wear our clothes?

Not for long: unlike those 80s jeans that stood the test of time for generations, we now wear 60% of our clothes for… less than a year.

A more sustainable approach: fewer higher-quality clothes that we can wear for years

How Many Times Do We Wear Our Clothes? (Not Enough!) | Sustainable Fashion Blog| Project Cece (3)

Here’s how we can all increase how many times we wear our clothes.

How many times should you wear an item of clothing?

To reduce your CO2 emissions and waste, you should aim to wear each item of clothing at least 30 times as suggested by the #30WearsChallenge.

However, most low-quality fast fashion garments might not even last that long.

That’s why it’s even more important to switch to ethical fashion and a more sustainable mindset.

How to wear your clothes for longer (and with confidence)

How Many Times Do We Wear Our Clothes? (Not Enough!) | Sustainable Fashion Blog| Project Cece (4)

  • Unfollow accounts promoting hauls and fast fashion brands. Instead, follow content creators who inspire you to buy sustainably and embrace repeat outfits
  • Remind yourself that clothes should be seen as durable, not disposable
  • Remix garments to create a variety of outfits
  • Before purchasing a garment, ask yourself if you actually need it and can see yourself wearing it at least 30 times
  • Choose ethical clothes that are made to last: you can find hundreds of fair trade brands right here on Project Cece!

Now that you know how many times we wear our clothes, take the first steps towards increasing that meagre number.

Need some inspiration? We make it easier to switch to sustainable fashion by sharing practical tips and new ethical brands in our newsletter.

How Many Times Do We Wear Our Clothes? (Not Enough!) | Sustainable Fashion Blog| Project Cece (2024)

FAQs

How many times do we wear our clothes? ›

The average piece of clothing is worn around 120 times globally.

What is the 30 wears challenge? ›

What is the 30 wears challenge? Started by climate activist Livia Firth in 2015, the 30 wears challenge is a campaign that encourages consumers to abandon fast fashion's overconsumption and replace it with a slower approach to clothing.

What is the 30 wears rule? ›

#30wearschallenge

Originally started by Olivia Firth of Eco-Age, the #30wearschallenge is a way for regular people like you and me try to do something positive and embrace a more sustainable fashion industry. The #30wearschallenge is all about wearing every piece of clothing you buy at least 30 times.

How many pieces of clothing is enough? ›

The researchers found that a “sufficient” wardrobe consists of 74 garments and 20 outfits in total. As an example, they've suggested six outfits for work, three outfits for home wear, three outfits for sports, two outfits for festive occasions, plus four outdoor jackets and trousers or skirts.

How often do people repeat clothes? ›

That exact outfit is pretty memorable and probably shouldn't be repeated more than once every two weeks — but of course you can wear the blazer with a white blouse and black pants on day 3, and again on top of a sheath dress on day 7, and then wear your blazer/sweater/skirt combo again on day 11.

How many times should you change your clothes? ›

Change and wash your workout clothes, swimwear, and underwear after every wear. Casual and formal clothes can last up to five times wearing them. Coats, jackets, parkas, hats, gloves, and other accessories can be laundered once a season.

How long should slow fashion last? ›

For years, the benchmark has been 30 wears. This spawned from the 30 Wears Challenge, first conceived by Eco Age co-founder Livia Firth and journalist Lucy Seigle in 2015. “It was a very different fashion landscape as there was much less awareness and fewer brands doing sustainable work as well,” explains Firth.

How many washes should clothes last? ›

Washing Frequency Chart
Item of ClothingHow Often to Wash
Dress pants and skirts2 times a season
Fleece jackets and sweatshirtsAfter 6 to 7 wears
Hats, gloves & scarves3 to 5 times a season
HosieryAfter every wear
17 more rows
Sep 10, 2022

How long does the average person keep their clothes? ›

Consumers in our modern society don't keep clothes for long. They wear a high-street garment on average only 7 times. Under normal wear and tear, the average life expectancy of clothing would be more than 2 years.

What is the rule of 4 in fashion? ›

Kelly shared her Rule of Four lesson publicly when signups were open for the May course, so some of you may have seen it. The goal is to have at least four accessories or points of interest to every outfit.

What is the 8 2 rule in fashion? ›

The ideal number of points for any given outfit should range from 6 to 8. Your outfit will be too simple with 5 points but too much with anything exceeding 8 points.

How many clothes is too much? ›

There's no magic number of clothing items that you should have in your closet, but a good rule of thumb is only to keep clothes that you love and actually wear. If you haven't worn something in the past season or for more than a year, chances are you're not going to wear it again, and it's time to get rid of it.

How many clothes should a girl have? ›

With the increasing popularity of minimalism and capsule wardrobes, many influencers suggest that a woman should not have more than 50 pieces of clothing (including shoes and accessories) in her closet.

What are the rules for Project 333? ›

The idea behind Project 333 is simple: Wear only 33 articles of clothing for the next 3 months. All clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes count towards your number. Exceptions include wedding rings, underwear, sleepwear, in-home loungewear, and workout clothing.

Why should we repeat our clothes? ›

Repeating clothes is more sustainable

While that's a shocking amount, it's not that surprising if we're expected to wear new garments every time we leave the house. Wearing the same clothes multiple times, on the other hand, will reduce your carbon footprint and textile waste.

What are the benefits of repeating outfits? ›

In fact, many people are realizing the benefits of becoming outfit repeaters.
  • Here are 8 reasons I love wearing the same things often (and think you would too):
  • Increased presence.
  • Save money.
  • Less decision fatigue.
  • Less comparison.
  • More self-confidence.
  • Simplified laundry routine (less clothing clutter)
  • Help the environment.
Jun 25, 2022

Why do people wear same clothes everyday? ›

Fewer decisions.

This is by far the most popular reason why people decide to adopt a streamlined capsule wardrobe. Decision fatigue refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision making.

How long is too long to keep clothes? ›

Set an expiration date for the items in your closet. If you live in a four-season climate and you haven't worn a piece of clothing in a year, it's probably time to donate it. And if you live in a one- or two-season climate, then you likely should let go of something you haven't worn in the past six months.

How many times can you wear jeans before washing? ›

A good rule of thumb is to wash your jeans after every 3-10 wears, or when they start to smell. If you're regularly active in your jeans (think: manual work, anything where you work up a sweat), wash them every 3 wears, but if you're working at a desk, you can probably go through multiple wears without washing.

How many times can you wear pants before washing? ›

Pants and sweaters are the workhorses of your wardrobe—they can stand about five wears before they need to go in the wash. T-shirts and Henleys are good for one to two wears, depending on how much you sweat. Jeans can go a whole season without needing a wash—but do wash them occasionally.

Does fast fashion get worse? ›

In reality, the aggressive cycle of consumption perpetuated by fast fashion means that the clothes we wear are now more likely than ever to end up as part of the 92 million tons of textile waste produced annually.

Why do my clothes look old after washing? ›

What causes clothes to fade? Clothes tend to fade in the laundry cycle due to hot water washes, harsh detergents, agitation during washing and overdrying. The dye itself can also cause bleeding and fading if it is not well-set or if the wrong type of dye was used on a certain fabric.

Will fast fashion ever stop? ›

Yes! People are getting more environmentally conscious and data shows we're becoming more driven to buy sustainable products. Consumers have pushed companies to evaluate their labour practises and effects on the climate crisis.

How often should you wash your bra? ›

You should wash your bra after 2 or 3 wears, or once every 1 or 2 weeks if you're not wearing it every day. Wash your jeans as rarely as possible, unless you're going for the distressed look. Wash sweaters as often as needed, but be careful not to stretch or shrink them as they dry.

How often should I wash my hair? ›

When to wash. Rossi generally tells his patients they should wash their hair once or twice per week. But if you've had chemical treatments that can make your hair drier — such as bleach, perms or relaxers — you might want to wash it less than once weekly to avoid breaking or brittle hair or split ends, he said.

Can clothes last a lifetime? ›

Nothing lasts forever, including your clothes, but how long should you expect a garment to last? According to the International Fair Claims Guide for Consumers Textiles Products, assuming normal wear, you can expect most of your clothes to last somewhere between two and three years.

Do clothes hold memories? ›

Clothing is an emotional trigger that carries, stores, and records memory, conjures tactile memory, stimulates sensory and emotional memory. Its close contact to the body gives it the the ability to hold personal and intimate stories from the past.

How do you destroy old clothes? ›

Bring unwearable items to a clothing and textile recycling facility. If your old clothing is torn, soiled, or particularly worn, you won't be able to sell or donate it. Luckily, you can drop off these unwearable items at a textile recycling location.

What age spends the most on clothes? ›

Which age group spends the most on clothing? This statistic shows the average annual expenditure on women's and girls' apparel by consumers in the United States in 2021, by age. In 2021, the 45 to 54 age group was the highest spender on women's and girls' clothing, spending 995 U.S. dollars on average in the year.

What should a 70 year old woman wear? ›

In your 70s, it's a good rule of thumb to avoid looking too prim, too girly, or preppy. However, it's the perfect time to experiment with arty styles like tailored sweater coats, wide-leg pants, unusual clutches, and colorful patterns.

How should I dress at age 60? ›

5 Tips For Dressing in Your 60s
  1. Big patterns, bold colors. By the time you've reached your 60s, your outlook is refreshing—you've learned not to take yourself or life too seriously. ...
  2. Breathable Fabrics Reign Supreme. ...
  3. Embrace the unexpected. ...
  4. Balance timeless with trends. ...
  5. Mix textures and metals.

What not to wear after 60? ›

Fashion for women over 60: What not to wear
  • Floor-length floral printed dresses.
  • Muumuus (unless they are for lounging around the house)
  • Long (ankle length), unstructured, A-line skirts.
  • Elastic-waist pants that make everyone look like a balloon.
  • Unstructured pants and suits.
  • Large, oversized t-shirts.

What is $1 per wear? ›

Put simply, “cost per wear” is a methodology of breaking down the initial upfront cost of a garment by how many times you're actually going to wear it. For example, if the sticker price of a garment is $100 and you wear it a hundred times before getting rid of it, then the effective cost per wear is $1.

What is fashion rule number 1? ›

The overarching theme of the Rule of One is that your ensemble should focus on one element to allow that detail to be the outfit's true hero.

What is the rule of 3 in fashion? ›

The idea behind the third piece rule is that for an outfit to go from good to great, it needs three key elements. Your top and bottom (pants or skirt) are your first and second elements. The third piece is that extra something that finishes off the whole look.

Do people wear clothes more than once? ›

The reality of adulthood is that we don't always eat our vegetables, don't always brush our teeth, and most of us wear clothes more than once before washing them. Just because we've lived more years of life doesn't mean we're suddenly Martha Stewart, or that we don't need to cut some corners every once in a while.

Why do all humans wear clothes? ›

Clothing can insulate against cold or hot conditions, and it can provide a hygienic barrier, keeping infectious and toxic materials away from the body. It can protect feet from injury and discomfort or facilitate navigation in varied environments. Clothing also provides protection from ultraviolet radiation.

Did humans always wear clothes? ›

The last Ice Age occurred about 120,000 years ago, but the study's date suggests humans started wearing clothes in the preceding Ice Age 180,000 years ago, according to temperature estimates from ice core studies, Gilligan said. Modern humans first appeared about 200,000 years ago.

How many times can you wear jeans without washing? ›

A good rule of thumb is to wash your jeans after every 3-10 wears, or when they start to smell. If you're regularly active in your jeans (think: manual work, anything where you work up a sweat), wash them every 3 wears, but if you're working at a desk, you can probably go through multiple wears without washing.

How many times can you wear pants without washing? ›

Pants and sweaters are the workhorses of your wardrobe—they can stand about five wears before they need to go in the wash. T-shirts and Henleys are good for one to two wears, depending on how much you sweat. Jeans can go a whole season without needing a wash—but do wash them occasionally.

What is it called when you wear the same clothes everyday? ›

The capsule wardrobe movement continues to gain momentum. Fast fashion deserves criticism. And our culture's obsession with ever-changing fashion trends is an artificial pursuit manufactured by those who benefit from it. The capsule wardrobe movement is far from mainstream.

How long to keep clothes that dont fit? ›

With that said, here are the swift decluttering guidelines, practices, and considerations for keeping these clothes. Don't keep things that haven't fit for 3+ years. Don't keep things that are stained or need mending.

When should you throw out clothes? ›

10 items in your wardrobe you should throw away immediately
  1. Anything that doesn't fit you. Warner Bros. ...
  2. Stuff you've never worn. Getty Images. ...
  3. Anything that doesn't bring you joy. Rex. ...
  4. Shoes that hurt. ...
  5. Anything with a stain. ...
  6. Old underwear. ...
  7. Anything that 'doesn't go' with the rest of your wardrobe. ...
  8. Odd socks and socks with holes.
Feb 8, 2018

Did Adam and Eve wear clothes? ›

As per the biblical interpretation of Genesis 3:21, God produced coats of skin for the first man and woman Adam and Eve and clothed them when they were found naked in the garden after eating the forbidden fruit.

What are the 3 main reasons humans wear clothes? ›

Protection: Clothing that provides physical safeguards to the body, preventing harm from climate and environment. Identification: Establishing who someone is or what they do. Modesty: Covering the body according to the code of decency established by society.

Why do we keep clothes we don't wear? ›

Often, we keep clothes not because the 'keeping' is desirable, but because the discarding is undesirable. We do not need these clothes, but we fear not having them. We fear the possibility of never having the "money, time or ability to find a replacement garment that would be liked as well" [4].

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