If I have a desire to keep wearing it, I will repair it. Even if I got it hand-me-down from someone who found it in a thrift shop. Yes, I should dress better. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I got some fake leather pants tailored once. The woman looked at me a little strangely but they’ve lasted this long and are one my favourite pairs of pants.

I had an h and m knitted sweater that I would stitch up from time to time. Lasted me for years and I remember getting on sale

I got this hand-me-sideways from a friend in seventh grade. It was from Limited Too and already had pit stains when it came my way, but it was SO flattering. After wearing it all the way into college, I got fed up with the pit stains. First I scoured poshmark, and when nothing turned up, I just dyed it a darker color. Can't believe the shirt has been loved for over a decade.

As someone who grew up in poverty I never understand "fast fashion is cheap" "fast fashion deserves to be worn once and thrown out" kind of mentality, like, I'm lucky if I can spend 8 dollars on a top once a year, always have been. Getting any clothing feels like an absolute blessing to me and I will sew it till it's too frail to sew again

My mom taught me to sew as a kid, because she was tired of fixing my play clothes. Fast forward about two decades, my boss gets a laugh when I ask him if I can go see some of my work clothes when there was nothing to do. He found it amazing that a mother had taught her son to sew.

honestly, as someone who lives in asia, it's crazy to hear people from the west saying that brands like h&m and zara break apart after a few wears. I've bought clothes from shops like h&m, uniqlo, zara etc. and they've literally lasted over 3 years (some even 5).

My friend got me a purse that looks like a chicken for my birthday years ago and I love it despite the fact it is from shein. Now I would never buy from shein and I have had people tell me to get rid of the purse because eits fast fashion and it is from shein but that defeats the entire point. Although it has lost its zipper and both its eves I will continue to use it

I have shirts with characters that I love so much that yeah, were totally fast fashion, but I'm too emotionally attached to these shirts that I will almost ALWAYS keep em even after they fall apart and either try to fix em or find another use for the fabric, like make bags or turn em into pillow cases.

In the past couple of years I stopped the senseless shopping sprees and started taking better care of what I own. It made me more mindful of the fabrics and also the quality of things I buy. The whole experience makes me feel more wholesome somehow.

People who thrift their clothes know that the brand on the label tells you nothing about the lasting power of the garment- if the item looks good in the thrift store, it is of good quality. I have had secong hand clothes from fast fashion brands that I have regularly worn for 10+ years, and I have bought new items which get ruined after 1 wash. The whole point is that almost every single item gets produced in a different shop, so the quality and fit vary greatly, which has garnered the bad reputation of fast fashion brands, but they also sell items produced by shops which produce for high end brands, as well, and the quality and fit is very nice. The thrift shop is the great equalizer of fashion.

For me, the value is not money... it's the memories I have attached to it. If it was something my mom got for me when she visited a thrift store, I will keep wearing that forever.

I'm poor, so all of my clothes have the same value whether they were free or $50. I will stitch them up until they can't be stitched anymore. I remember on my first day or work I couldn't afford new clothes, so I stitched an old pair of pants super neatly, to fix them on the morning of my first day. That was when I realized how little effort it took to repair something, and I've been doing it since

Music to my ears. I have clothes that are over 30 years old that are in pristine condition. Some I wear, some I can’t bear to throw away because they are beautiful. Take care if your clothes and buy what you live, what makes you feel fabulous, not what’s fashion.

I wear a lot of sweaters, and I had this revelation when my dad told which of them was his favorite. It was one if my favorites too. It's just a cheap $10, if that, sweater from Walmart, but it's comfy and my favorite color and I intend to mend it so I can keep it as long as possible.

if i wanna keep it, it’s getting a patch slapped on it, if i don’t it’s either going to a thrift store or getting used as patches on other clothes, i never throw out fabrik

Yessss! I wear and fix every clothing item until it literally falls apart😂 I think this is good for the environment and also for me financially👍🏻

YES! I have fixed my ancient pants to just chill on the sofa with sooo many times, but I refuse to buy a new pair when this one still holds together 😂

This is why it's important to learn basic sewing! I have a lot of old clothes that have lasted me years, both fast and slow fashion, simply because I always fix them. Your sewing skills don't have to be perfect either

I have a beautiful woolen dress that unraveled at the neck seam and I didn't know how to mend it, I'm definitely gonna try this, thanks for sharing!

i have a pair of american eagle jeans that i got on sale, didn’t love them, and decided to put patches on them, both to cover a “distressed” patch i didn’t like and to personalize them. i lost track of how many patches are on them and of how many hours i’ve spent on them and i absolutely love them now, more than i’ve ever loved a pair of jeans :)

I love this! I've been feeling a little embarrassed about wanting to get some thrifted Forever 21 pants hemmed, but they are still good clothes that I can get a lot of use out of!

Fast fashion summer dresses have been some of my favorites. I have one that is my absolute favorite got it as a handmedown when I was 14 and have fixed the spaghetti straps and seam rips when they come up. 10 years later I still LOVE it and fix it when it happens! It’s on a little break because I’m preggo but it’ll be back hanging in my closet in 2024 😊

I’ve recently enjoyed repairing my clothes as they tear and blankets too, and it’s nice to take the time to learn how to do new things. Saves a lot of money too

Yess!! My grandma made my clothes as a kid, and I hated it!!! But now I am so thankful she taught me how to sew!! I'll always buy quality over quantity because of her; fast fashion ruins the appeal of forever garments, which are fantastic to have!! I wouldnt live any other way!!!

I love your ethics!

i’ve had the same few pairs of pajama pants for like a decade and every time they get a tear, i sew them up instead of replacing them because i love them so much. and as a stay-at-home mom who lives in her pajamas, it’s very important that i have my favorite pajama pants at all times. new ones simply wouldn’t be the same.

Yes! I've been discovering the joy of thrifting lately! I found a beautiful long cashmere like coat from shein for $12. Even though I wouldn't purchase new from shein, I loved the peice so much that I feel zero guilt getting it second hand. 😂

It's a nice fit and the sleeves and neckline are very pretty. It was worth it and you did a great job repairing that hole.

My most favorite blouse is a brand from Walmart that I’m pretty sure I found at a thrift store but I wear it like at least once a week and it is still holding up. It’s cute and timeless but not boring. ❤

I used to have this sweater! I'm looking up "mending fast fashion" to see how others are doing it. Cheap ≠ disposable. Love this!

I bought a miss selfridge dress on Vinted last week which arrived with a tear on the strap, the dress didn’t fit but I sewed and fixed it up for the next person to enjoy it 💖

Watching this as I’m darning my 6 yr old h&m socks. They’re my favorite, no other sock has same feel to me. Even my other h&m socks don’t compare! (I don’t support h&m, got both packs w/ a 5 finger discount lol)

I could talk forever on this subject! My clothes r primarily secondhand and fast fashion, bc those r the styles that i like, and i feel like i never see eco-friendly/thrift-focused influencers talk abt this! I totally get it from like a style POV, if ur not into the look most fast fashion brands have, and also just like a ‘😢man it’s so sad to see how much SHEIN and f21 there is at Goodwill these days’, but like, other than that, there’s nothing wrong w secondhand fast fashion! I still go for the clothes that are better made and don’t “look” fast fashion, and i mend and upcycle them and they last me, bc i take care of them! :)

In my family we don't throw our outfits we are exchanging them between each other. Like if we bored of it and if it's in good condition, my cousin can wear it too if she likes it's design. After that we gather them all and give them to more needy people.

I've been buying most of my baby clothes secondhand on Vinted. Some of the sleepsuits were soooo bobbly, and I've spent ages going over them with a fabric shaver to get them like new again. Realistically I could have bought them cheap enough and not put the effort in, but now they get a second lease of life! Sustainability is worthwhile in and of itself, regardless of the 'value' of the item.

I had a brand new jacket that started getting holes in the seams, but I loved it so much and knew a basic ladder stitch so I just sewed it back together 😂 It’s stayed intact since. Then again I’m a pack rat who doesn’t like getting rid of clothes so I would’ve kept it regardless

When I was in high school, I had to mend one or two pairs of pants that were my favorite, because the belt loops broke off or I just wore a hole into them

The value and the price are 2 different things! I find almost every day more cloths on curbside and love them!

My issue with fast fashion hasn't really been tears and such, but the shirts get loose af and stop being as soft after a few washes. Deadass only reason i end up buyong more, i find stuff i really love and then it starts looking unflatteringly loose on me by month 3

I wish there was more out there on how to mend stuff.

This!! A pair of my favourite leggings ripped recently. Usually my first thought would be to get new ones but the specific ones i have arent available anymore and why waste the money when i could sew the hole? (It was right on the seam so it was the perfect place to do it)

The less it coasted us, the more we need to care about it, because it already has an enormous impact. There are no clothes unworthy of care and repair❤

Totally worth it…best wishes

Whoa seeing how you fixed that hole, that's so smart! I need to try this in the future!

Love your mindset. I really want to learn how to sew 😢

I’ve always done mending on things I own. I not the worlds best sewist but I can sew on a button, mend a hole or a fallen hem. I can even shorten trousers and skirts I don’t often coz it’s a pain but I can do it. You don’t have to sew very well to keep clothes going! I’m so glad people are relearning these things!

Love this message

When I mend clothing I see the worth of my work as well as classy choices I have made over the years

The problem I’ve had with low quality knits is that every single time you mend them, a new hole pops up within a couple wears

My words! Love it

WOAH wait I need to learn how to properly fix holes lmaoo

Preach! There's some fast fashion that can't be rescued because the quality of the fabric is just so bad that it disintegrates, but there's no reason not to attempt fixing other things.

Yes absolutely! Throw away fashion has no place in this world 😢

I have a F21 bodysuit that my dog chewed a hole in. I bought a new one but in reality I wear both just slightly differently now

This us a great counter to fast fasion, beat them at their own game, keep that 10$ item around for 20 years

Most clothing is worthy of embroidery flowers hiding the repairs and giving them that individual flair 🌸🌼🌻🌷

My leather jacket I got for 25 bucks on sale at forever 21 has been loved on endlessly and it slowly building up more and more little stitches of all colors and o love ot

I have a few things from F21 and H&M that have survived between 9-13 years because I (stubbornly) refuse to accept when they inevitably pop a seam thanks to poor stitching. I'll grab a needle and thread and mend it again and again until either it's truly unfixable or I decide to donate it, at which time it will still be in nice, wearable condition for someone to enjoy.

Idk for me personally, any clothes I bought from any fast fashion outlet has been actually lasting and never really fell apart? Like years kind of lasting 😂

THID IS SO SMART!! I wish everyone thought this way ❤

remember, to repair is to rebel 🧡✌🏼

I have one T shirt that was my mom’s from her first job, it has holes all over but i just keep sewing them because i love that shirt so much

i go to thrift stores and buy pants and skirts that are too big and i tailor them myself. some of my best pieces are from a thrift store

Sometimes I take fixing clothes a little too far. I have to stop myself from darning a sock I bought at target for $1 in 2018 for the third time and just throw it away.

I usually turn my old clothes into quilts and pillows once they start getting holes!!!! And saving money from new craft supplies as a bonus.

I feel like Fast clothing is in its entirety and American concept. I still wear what I brought 6 years ago for 10 dollars(800 rs) and many more. Clothes are to be wore till they are wearable. After that you donate it

If something has proven to be very useful, versatile and complimentary Ill take care of ir forever.

I am Turkish and we have a saying which translates as "I am not that rich to buy cheap" what it means is, if you buy something cheap like fast fashion items then they will be low in quality and you will need to replace it constantly. But if you buy something which is good and it may be little more expensive than the other thing but you might use it for years and years. But thats just how the saying is, of course stuff dont need to be expensive to be good quality 😊 wanted to share

if i dont want my clothes theyre either given to someone or used ss patches, some of my favorite clothing is fast fashion (kmart, so like?? high enough quality to wear for years) but if theres a hole ill still wear it, maybe DIY it, use it for something, id rather give it use then throw it out y'kno?

Honestly I'm kinda mad that my fav clothes are the one that always end up tearing or whatever. I guess it's cause I wear them more, but still... since it's my fav, I always try to figure out how to repair it (cause fast fashion = can't buy à New one if it's a few months later)

The flower ring is so pretty! I’ve been looking for one like that for years! Any chance someone knows where to find one like it?

A lot of people can’t afford the sustainable option for clothes and have to buy fast fashion. I don’t want to support unethical companies but I literally can’t afford to buy better clothing. When you’re living paycheck to paycheck saving for better clothes isn’t really an option either.

With my disabilities I wish I had the energy to do this

Try baby pink!!😂😂 You'll understand why!!

I will fix it as often as possible

If you repair a cheaply made item of clothing, does it make it stronger? Like, can you Ship of Theseus it into be better quality (replacing bad stitching when it falls apart, patching weak points in the fabric, etc)

I always repair anything that looks salvagable

Its crazy to me how f21 is cheap and underserving to people in the US when in my country having F21 clothes is considered luxury and a status symbol. Fashion girlies in SM keep dunking on “fast fashion” when it is the next best thing for us. This brands closes the gap for people who want to fit in with the latest trend without shelling out so much money when your living wages is inconceivable to “real fashion”. 😢😢

Good job mending has become a lost art!

Honestly whats considered fast fashion and cheap in first world countries are considered expensive and high quality in third world countries like mine..

My favorite long sleeves cost me 50 cents

I dislike jeans because if the rip it’s either a nightmare to mend or you have to leave it and call it fashion Any tips to keep denim from fraying

I repair what I want to keep wearing.

I get even more frustrated that when someone decides that they no longer like or want to support fast fashion, they immediately throw away those said clothes. DON'T DO THAT. It's one thing to not wanna buy them anymore, I completely get that, but you've already spent it. The people that made it already got paid pennies for it. You throwing it away is just a waste and even worse imo. You can easily keep wearing it or recycle it into a new thing. Hell, there's plenty of people who can ONLY afford fast fashion, so donate it to goodwill or something for someone like that to find it. Just never chuck it.

All clothing was made by highly skilled human hands, that's what gives it value.

Well I’d make the argument that a shein clothing is not worth repairing as they just brake 2 seconds after (but that’s just shein)

Oh I don’t disagree but I thought this was going to be actual advice on, like, signs that the clothing will last structurally (and therefore still has a long life ahead of it), which fabrics hold up well to being patched etc vs ones that will immediately rip somewhere else and so really aren’t worth the effort…

A $60 sweater is fast fashion 😅 y’all I repairer my clothes and I don’t spend more that $15 on pants n $5 on shirts as a rule and I don’t buy clothes every year y’all just do not take care of things

How come you cut the thread so close don't you have to knot it and if you don't knot it want the threaten come undone?

I just have zero repair skills

That’s a strange way to repair it.

do people throw out their clothes when it gets a hole? 😭

I also feel so satisfied after mending something for myself or my husband's work clothes! There is so much waste in today's society, so if I can save something from the trash, I will!

That's not the best way to mend a knitted jumper.....😢

Fast facion wtf are people whi cant buy gucci products suposed too wear be nude?

Buy only sustainable fabrics and repair them lots. Anything synthetic only promotes the petrochemical industry, let it go.