March 3, 2022, by sustainablenottingham

The 7 Rs of Sustainable Fashion

Dopplle is a student clothes swapping app developed by a UoN Veterinary Medicine student Sam Hurst and her sister Izzie. In this blog, Sam explains the 7Rs of Sustainable Fashion – steps you can take to make your clothing habits more sustainable. 

We have all heard of the 3 Rs; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, but are they still relevant for fashion? If so, how else can we still look fashionable while reducing our impact environmentally and ethically? The 7 Rs are a revised and needed set of points we should all strive to consider when consuming fashion in all forms.

Dopplle is a student clothes swapping app

The 7 Rs are:

• • • Reduce
    • Reuse
    • Recycle
    • Research
    • Repurpose
    • Repair
    • Rent

Dopplle helps you achieve some of these 7 Rs of Sustainable Fashion. Dopplle is a clothes swapping app for students promoting sustainable living through fashion. By using Dopplle, students can reduce their textile waste, save money and join the slow fashion movement. We want to encourage the permanent or temporary swapping of clothes among friends and a wider circle. By doing this within universities, it enables users to build their reputation and become more trusted with others’ clothing when they lend items out.

Our society and culture do not view clothes the way we used to. Instead of having two fashion seasons a year, Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter, we are now living in a society where it is expected to have a new trend to follow almost every week. So why is it important to add these four extra R’s to the list?

Research

Research is probably the most important point on this list. Educating yourself gives you the ability to make an informed choice and also allows you to consider all options when investing in fashion. Fortunately, education is easily accessible through the internet, social media and conversations you have with your friends! One of Dopplle’s core values is to educate as many people as possible (students and non-students) about the environment and how everyone can make small changes to have a more sustainable lifestyle.

Repurpose

Repurposing items gives them a new life! That may be repurposing an item for yourself or giving it to someone else who needs it and can use it. Clothes swapping can fall under this category as giving others your pre-loved clothes is giving them a new purpose! We love this option, so many things can be repurposed – flower petals dried into confetti, really worn out clothes cut into cleaning cloths and trousers turned into a top, skirt and scrunchie!

Repairing clothes increases their lifespan.

Repair

Dopplle loves repairing clothes! A simple button being resewn back on, a pair of trousers being hemmed, or a faded t-shirt being dyed a new colour can give anything a new life. Repairing items can help them have a longer lifespan without them being thrown away and contributing to landfill. Have you seen any of our previous repair workshops? Keep an eye out on our social media for some more tips and tricks videos or if we have any online workshops coming up!

Rent

Out of all of these options, renting is potentially the least sustainable, but that is not to say it isn’t a great option for those with a specific lifestyle! Renting items for one-off occasions is a great way to look good without leaving an item in the back of your wardrobe, but currently renting companies do not have enough customers. This means that so many of their items are left in a warehouse, waiting to be rented out. The more people get involved, the more sustainable the renting business model!

Take away message

Overall, the most important thing to take away from this is to consider all options when buying clothes. The more educated you are, the more sustainable we can all be!

Dopplle – the clothes swapping app – Don’t just swap it, Dopplle it

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Google+
• Share on LinkedIn