The Urgency of Circular Fashion

Yesterday evening I watched the Dutch news. The main topic was something we hear more and more these days: the urgent need for a circular economy.

The message was clear.

We can no longer keep making, buying, throwing away, and replacing everything. Our planet simply cannot keep up.

While I was listening, I suddenly started smiling.

Because although circular fashion sounds like a modern idea, it doesn't feel new to me at all.

I grew up in the 1970s.

Back then we didn't have words like upcycling, recycling, circular fashion or even reuse.

We simply... did it.

It was completely normal to wear clothes that had belonged to an older cousin.

No one thought that was strange.

In fact, it was often exciting. I remember wondering what treasures would arrive next.

And when a pair of jeans was truly worn out?

It didn't go into the bin.

It became a cushion.

Or a bag.

Or something completely different.

That was considered creative.

Even quite fashionable.

Looking back, I sometimes think we were much more sustainable without even trying.

I've Always Loved Giving Fabrics a Second Life

Perhaps that's why I still can't walk past a charity shop without wondering what treasures are hiding inside.

Old curtains.

Vintage tablecloths.

A forgotten piece of brocade.

A silk scarf.

Someone else's "no longer needed" often becomes my next costume.

Years ago I placed a small advertisement asking people to donate unwanted neckties instead of throwing them away.

I never expected the response.

Boxes and bags kept arriving.

Every tie had its own story.

Some had been worn to weddings.

Others to job interviews.

Some had belonged to fathers or grandfathers.

I carefully sorted them by colour, pattern and fabric.

And yes...

Silk always went into its own special pile.

From those ties I created dresses, hats, handbags and even a luxurious laptop sleeve.

The ties disappeared...

But their stories lived on.

Curtains Are One of My Favourite Secrets

If you know me, you'll know I have a slight weakness for old curtains.

Especially brocade, jacquard and velvet.

Friends sometimes laugh when they see me walking through a charity shop with an enormous curtain under my arm.

I can already see the corset.

The medieval gown.

The LARP cloak.

The Victorian jacket.

While everyone else still sees... a curtain.

Nothing Is Ever "Just Fabric"

One of the things I love most about sewing is that every piece of fabric has possibilities.

An old pair of jeans becomes a sturdy bag.

Soft hoodies become a cosy patchwork blanket.

A forgotten curtain becomes a medieval costume.

Nothing really changes.

Only its story.

Why It Matters

Of course, upcycling is good for the environment.

The fashion industry creates enormous amounts of waste, and every piece we save is one piece that doesn't end up in landfill.

But for me, it has never been only about sustainability.

It's about imagination.

About seeing possibilities where someone else sees rubbish.

About making something beautiful with your own hands.

And perhaps...

It's also a little bit of bringing the 1970s back.

Because long before the world started talking about circular fashion, we were already quietly living it.

We just didn't give it a name.

We simply thought it was the most normal thing in the world.

And honestly...

I still do.

The Silk Hat and Corset are for Sale:

The Silk Laptop Sleeve is for Sale: