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Weekly Short
6 May, 2022
It’s a little too easy to forget and neglect a piece of clothing you once frolicked in and flaunted. But don’t let a fray, a rip, or a broken zip send your favourite frock to the tip because there’s a solution – meet Sojo.
Clothing has become disposable. We’ve written about the classic cycle of shopping before (buy new, use for a while, bin) and there seems to be slow movement to reduce the environmental impacts of fashion. Waste in the fashion industry is remarkable: western families throw an average of 30kg of clothing away each year, and only 15% is recycled or donated and the rest goes to landfill or is incinerated.
Sojo is part of the global social movement combatting waste – by boosting the longevity of clothing through repair. They are a community of expert seamstresses that give you the chance to “wear and love the clothes that are uniquely yours”. The idea is simple. Download the app, place an order for all or any types of repairs and alterations, drop your clothes off and they’ll be returned all fine and dandy.
Not only does Sojo provide a tool to reduce waste, but it highlights a couple of learnings: the carbon reductions in staying local, the importance of supporting local talent and repurposing perfectly fine garments.
We say embrace your old and imperfect clothes. Know there is someone out there to make your outfits work for you. Sojo is a way for us to boost and practice the circular economy.
By Bertie Bateman