WEARu.SUSTAIN

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: the truth about recycling

Our World today

In 2018, the U.S. generated a staggering 17 million tons of textiles, accounting for 5.8% of total municipal solid waste (MSW). Despite efforts to reuse and recycle, a significant portion of these textiles still ends up in landfills—11.3 million tons, or 7.7% of all landfilled waste that year. While 2.5 million tons of textiles were recycled, the overall recycling rate for textiles stood at just 14.7%, with clothing and footwear recycling at a modest 13%. This often includes textiles donated to thrift stores and charity shops. These figures highlight the urgent need for change within the fashion industry and among consumers.

Graph and data provided by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Our belief

WEARU.AT believes we cannot rely too heavily on the recycling process, as it proceeds reduce and reuse. Our thrift stores and planet have reached its capacity for waste, even if we don't witness it every day. The future of our planet depends on reducing textile waste and relieving recycling efforts, as landfills and waste incineration continue to take a heavy toll on the environment. For this reason, we want to save textiles from entering the long and expensive recycling process, and utilizing existing garments as a base for reworked pieces allows us to do so.

Photo By Valentina Portela, CALPIRG Intern

slow fashion movement: reduce comes first

what is fast fashion, and how has it impacted us?

Fast fashion is built on rapid production, low costs, and short-lived trends—but at a devastating cost to people and the planet. Brands like Shein, Boohoo, and Temu flood the market with cheap, low-quality garments, fueling overconsumption and waste.

Environmental Impact:

The fashion industry consumes vast resources, contributing to 10% of global carbon emissions.
Synthetic fabrics shed microplastics, polluting oceans and even entering human bodies.
Every year, 92 million tonnes of textile waste end up in landfills or incinerators.

Worker Exploitation:

Garment workers face low wages, poor conditions, and gender-based violence.
Many brands outsource production to factories with exploitative practices.
Reports expose unethical labor conditions, particularly in UK-based factories.

Growing Regulations & Resistance:

France has introduced the world’s first laws to limit ultra-fast fashion.
The EU aims to enforce sustainable textile production by 2030.
Campaigners demand stronger regulations to hold brands accountable.

The Bottom Line:
Fast fashion thrives on exploitation and environmental destruction. While brands make misleading "sustainable" claims, real change requires slowing consumption and enforcing ethical production standards.

Explore ethical alternatives and make informed choices.

Explore More from Source

Our Commitment: Slow Fashion

At WEARU.AT, we champion slow fashion—a movement that prioritizes quality, sustainability, and ethical production over the wasteful, exploitative practices of fast fashion.

Longevity & Conscious Consumption

Research shows we’re beginning to wear our clothes for longer, repair them more, and embrace secondhand fashion. While the average UK adult still owns 31 unworn items, the shift towards more sustainable habits is gaining traction. Our mission is to accelerate this change by offering high-quality, durable garments that encourage long-term use.

Circular Fashion & Ethical Innovation

We support the shift towards a circular clothing industry, where fashion is designed for reuse, repair, and responsible disposal. Studies show a growing appetite for resale, upcycling, rental, and repair services, with platforms like Depop and eBay seeing exponential growth in secondhand fashion. By choosing thoughtfully crafted pieces, you become part of a system that reduces textile waste and lowers fashion’s carbon footprint.

What You Can Do

Buy less, choose well. A curated wardrobe of timeless, durable clothing is better for you and the planet.
Opt for secondhand. The UK’s resale market is booming, offering stylish, pre-loved alternatives to fast fashion.
Repair & repurpose. Small fixes extend a garment’s life—many brands now offer repair services.
Support ethical brands. Look for companies committed to fair wages, responsible sourcing, and eco-friendly production.
Join the movement. Campaigns like Fashion Revolution and Clean Clothes Campaign advocate for fair labor and sustainable practices.

At WEARU.AT, we don’t just make clothes—we create pieces designed to last, reducing waste and reshaping the industry for the better. As Patsy Perry, fashion sustainability expert, puts it:

“Less is always more.”

WearU.At: reuse/rework

reimagining the secondhand clothing industry

We believe in reducing the need for overproduction by directly sourcing reusable garments, which we then rework to make unique, statement-style pieces available to consumers without contributing to the waste and pollution associated with traditional fashion models. We are creating a direct-to-consumer experience where our customers can access pre-loved fashion that has been reimagined with a fresh, creative touch, meeting their desire for exclusivity and style while minimizing environmental harm.

Our model encourages a sustainable alternative to buying new clothes, akin to solutions offered by secondhand platforms like ThredUp Inc. and Poshmark, where shoppers can buy gently used clothing at a fraction of the original price. But we take it a step further by offering reworked garments, reducing reliance on new production, and minimizing the environmental impact of manufacturing.

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” - Maya Angelou