As January 2024 ushers in a new year, it's the perfect time to embark on a journey towards sustainable fashion choices, starting with a winter wardrobe detox and declutter.
How do you start?
What can you do with all your clothes' items you no longer love?
How can you make better buying decisions with your clothes purchases?
We are here to help with all those questions.
Embracing a Sustainable Wardrobe for 2024
As we set our sights on new beginnings and resolutions for 2024, embracing a sustainable wardrobe can be a meaningful goal. The excesses of fast fashion, buying that new dress or shirt for a festive event may have left us with wardrobes bursting at the seams. It's time to declutter and make mindful fashion choices.
The Winter Wardrobe Detox
Begin your sustainable fashion journey for 2024 with a winter wardrobe detox. By decluttering and letting go of items you no longer need or love, you're taking the first step towards a more sustainable wardrobe.
We should be looking at each item with a critical eye:
Do you still love it but did you forgot you had it?
Does it still feel good when you wear it?
Have you worn it in the past year?
Is it in good condition?
How to do a wardrobe detox and declutter
Start by taking out clothes from your wardrobe that are unloved or un-warn, yes that means stretching to the back of the wardrobe for those items that you had forgotten were there.
Lay all the clothes on your bed, we want to create three piles of clothes:Â
Keep
DonateÂ
Recycle
Donate items should be in good condition and a piece of clothing someone else would love to have.
Recycle should be items of clothing that perhaps have seen better days.
Look at each item of clothing and really think:Â
Do I still love it?
Will I actually wear it again?Â
Have I worn it in the past 12 months?
Is it in good condition?
Really can't decide? Ask yourself honestly "will I ever really wear it again?" Go the full Marie Kondo on it "does it spark joy?" If the answer is no then donate or recycle.
When you have your three piles done, put those still loved items back in your wardrobe.
One great tip here is if you are hanging the item, turn the hanger backwards and then hang it. This lets you easily see if you took it out of the wardrobe and worn it over the past 12 months. Easy choice to make for next year's declutter.
Where to donate your pre-loved clothes
Now you have your three piles of clothes, consider donating your pre-loved clothing, especially winter wear, to charity shops.
These items can find new owners, remember its 'new to them' and 'second hand is never second best'.Â
Donating and shopping at charity shops offers a unique opportunity to start the year with a commitment to the circular economy.
The Recycle pile can usually be dropped off at any Sue Ryder charity shop or at a clothes bank near you, both are located all around the country.
A simple Google search will direct you a local clothes bank or you can find the Sue Ryder charity shops here.
Remember each donation you make from your preloved clothes clear-out contributes to reducing waste as well as supporting vital community services.
Setting a new year's resolution?Â
Make it a sustainable fashion resolution for 2024
As you do your winter wardrobe clear out, why not now think about setting sustainable fashion resolutions for 2024. Think about making a commitment to a more sustainable world, a winter wardrobe detox isn't just about decluttering; it's about aligning your fashion choices with a brighter, greener and more sustainable future.
2024 can be your path to sustainable fashion, think in terms of circular economy and sustainability and this should help guide your choices, explore sustainable brands, and reduce your fashion footprint. Let's start the new year with one positive change by decluttering and detoxing our wardrobes one conscious fashion choice at a time.
Ready to kickstart your sustainable fashion journey?
Share your wardrobe detox and declutter stories' with us, tag us on socials, and inspire others to do the same. Visit your nearest Sue Ryder Ireland charity shop today to donate your preloved and recycle clothing items and maybe even find your first preloved, sustainable fashion treasure of the year.
Sue Ryder Ireland - Your Partner in Sustainable Fashion
Our charity shops are not only treasure troves of pre-loved fashion but also hubs of sustainability and community support. By donating your clothes or shopping in our shops, you actively participate in reducing waste and extending the life cycle of clothing. Your contributions directly support essential community services and make a positive impact on seniors lives in Ireland.
You can find any one of our 26 shops here.
The Sue Ryder Team