FASHION
300,000
tonnes of used clothing go into landfill in the UK every year - that equates to 5% of the UK's total annual carbon footprint. The Times
Astrid's fashion journey began further back than she can remember. As a child, she always had a love of clothes and an even stronger sense of style. Coming from a small isolated village with the odd jumble sale, limited funds and a mum with a sewing machine, Astrid, although she didn't realise it, had begun her passion for sustainable fashion.
O
h, the sheer pleasure and joy of finding a hidden treasure for a few pence at a jumble sale! And if it didn't fit, I would alter it, if it was the wrong colour, I would dye it. This soon led to charity shops and then on to dress agencies, eBay, Vestiaire, kilo sales, and clothes swaps. At this point, it wasn't about being sustainable and I wasn't looking at the bigger picture, I just have a love of clothes. As I grew older and started earning money of my own, more time was spent on the high street which I interspersed with my second-hand finds. I bought too much, spent too much and always seemed to need something "new" for a night out.
6
QueenBee magazine
Love issue 2020
What, Sustainability started after I retired. No longer having the cash to be frivolous, and with an abundance of clothes I already owned, I began to sell them on eBay. This whole process led me to think more and more about my shopping habits and how out of control I had become. This all coincided with my new Instagram platform and the responsibilities it entails. I contacted a preloved designer agency, Timpanys that was based near me and together we came up with a plan; we would show the Instagram world how diverse preloved designer wear is and at a fraction of the price! My thoughts soon led to less fast fashion and more long-lived fashion. I started dwelling on ethics and sustainability, which led to a gusto of research of places I wanted to buy my clothes from. I suppose the point I'm making by sharing this is that we can all become more aware of our shopping habits. Don't get me wrong, I still succumb to the high street occasionally, but I will always try and find a preloved version first and will always constantly re-wear and re-love my exciting wardrobe > @astridiwantyouinmylife
