The way we shop for clothes has changed. Gone are the days of buying good-quality clothes designed to last a lifetime. Today’s fashion is fast and throwaway. A study by British Children’s Charity, Barnardos showed that women in the UK wear clothes a shameful average of seven times before discarding them. The mainstream fashion industry is known to abuse cheap labour and the impact of all that textile production on the environment is disastrous.

So what can you do to turn back the clock? You can start by investing in these five fashion buys that should last you a lifetime!

Fix Your Sunglasses

As a general rule, you should pay more for any garment or accessory you’re going to wear every day. Once you find the perfect pair of sunglasses, you never want to take them off. And you shouldn’t have to.

It’s no coincidence that you can always find great designer sunglasses in vintage shops. Take care of your sunglasses and they can last you a lifetime. If your glasses lenses become scratched, repair them.

Companies like the Sunglasses Fix offer replacement lenses for a huge range of frames. The Sunglasses Fix will show you exactly how to install your new lenses and even help with small DIY repairs like tightening your frames.

Take Care of Your Leather Boots

A pair of high-quality leather boots should last for as long as you love wearing them. When choosing leather boots, keep an eye on quality. Full-grain leather is the best, it has imperfections but is supremely flexible and durable. Top grain leather is also very good but is sanded to remove imperfections so is a little thinner than full-grain. Bonded leather should be avoided as it’s essentially a mash-up of leather scraps forged into new material.

Here are few maintenance tips to get maximum mileage out of your leather boots:

• Moisturise your boots with leather conditioner
• Protect your boots from the elements with a protective spray
• Store your boots in boot trees to maintain their shape
• Visit your local cobbler to repair damage to heels and soles.

Buy Jeans That Last

Jeans are at the forefront of the long-lasting fashion revolution. Levi Strauss first invented blue jeans in 1873 for working men. Blue denim had been used for workers’ clothes for centuries but even the most durable fabric didn’t last long when worn by railroad worker and miners. Strauss introduced rivets at key points in his blue working men’s trousers. Jeans were invented and the world never looked back.
Certain forward-thinking companies have sprung into action to fill a gap in the jeans market and reduce waste at the same time. Kickstart venture Half Century Jeans promises jeans with a fifty-year guarantee!

Invest in Outdoor Wear with a Repair Guarantee

Whether you’re skiing, hiking or spelunking, your outdoor wear goes through a lot. Most outdoor wear is pricey so durability is expected. But some outdoor wear brands go a step further and offer a lifetime guarantee on their garments, promising to replace or refund gear for free.

The environmental perk of buying these brands is their forward-thinking approach to repairs. Instead of getting a brand new product every time you notice a tear, many outdoor brands will mend it. Simple but effective!

Buy Clothes made from Natural Fibres

Clothes made from high-quality natural fibres will last longer. Natural fibres are renewable and biodegradable. And producing materials like organic cotton uses none of the chemical processes used to create synthetic materials. If you buy clothes made from natural fibres that are ultra high-quality and made sustainably, even better!

A handful of new durability-focussed companies are creating clothes fitting this description that are actually affordable. Tom Cridland launched the 30-Year Sweatshirt in 2015. Cridland’s hand-crafted garments are made from Italian cotton and backed with an outstanding 30-year guarantee.

Joining the long-lasting fashion revolution doesn’t need to cost you more. Make better choices about what you buy and good care of your purchases and you too could be a revolutionary!