Living with less: Capsule wardrobe

So, what to do to make your clothes last longer?

• Airing instead of washing • Washing on reduced temperature instead of boiling your clothes • Washing full loads instead of half • Air-drying instead of tumble-drying • Shaking out before air-drying instead of ironing • Repairing instead of buying new • Finally: buying high-quality fabric instead of cheap but nondurable.

The Zero Waste approach is based on the belief that possessing stuff does not make us sustainably happy, and that breaking away from consumeristic emotion will make us happier. The capsule wardrobe is an excellent concept for trying out “possessing less” with a clear plan. You can find numerous guides on how to start your capsule wardrobe, colour schemes and tips for the process on the internet. The basic idea is that you reduce your wardrobe to a maximum of 30 - 40 pieces that can all be combined. This number, the kinds of pieces you include in it (underwear?) and whether you have a seasonal or a year-round capsule wardrobe is totally up to you, and varies from guide to guide. It all boils down to the idea of possessing only the essential stuff. And then it is all about combining what you have in different ways, to get the most out of it. This is the challenge when constructing your own personal capsule wardrobe, and the point where colour schemes and forethought can help you a lot. The idea is that you will only buy something new when you need a replacement for an old or broken piece of clothing. This breaks the vicious cycle of consumption and its inherent reward system. But the biggest advantage is that you are not standing in front of an overflowing closet every morning without a clue what to wear. The reduction makes the choice easier, and gives your brain space to ponder something