A fashionable question
Posted: 12.03.24
Finding your hidden wardrobe treasure
As part of the Sustainable Fashion Week 2023, we asked colleagues from across Salvation Army Trading Company "what is your favourite sustainable wardrobe treasure?". We wanted to find out more about favourite items that have been loved and worn for many years (the exact opposite to fast fashion!). Here, we take a look back at the much-loved treasures our colleagues shared:
Julie, Shanklin shop volunteer
"My favourite item of clothing is my dressing gown. It’s 7 years old and looking a bit off white and tired but it’s so comforting and soft. I love it! If I donated, it to a Salvation Army shop I’m sure it would be thrown in the rag bag straight away.
I bought it from Next when I was about to go into hospital for an operation and have worn it most days ever since. I even bought a similar one as a spare, but it just doesn’t have the same feel. I’m not looking forward to the day it must go but hopefully that is a long way off yet."
Kevin, Finance Director
"Without wanting to encourage stereotypes, I’m your typical male clothes shopper of a certain age – part of the reason why there are far fewer donations of saleable male clothing into our retail shops – I hold onto clothes for years until they are well and truly worn out. Much of my wardrobe could probably have featured in this blog but the item I have chosen is a faithful friend – a Berghaus jumper, bought close to 15 years ago.
It’s in my nature to be tight when it comes to spending, so this particular purchase was a bit of an extravagant spend at the time, even if it was bought in a sale. With clothes, quality can definitely make a difference and this jumper is a prime example. Lightweight, breathable, not too hot in milder weather but like a big hug on a cold winter’s day. If I’m honest, it’s showing signs of wear and tear and is looking maybe a little too snug but I’m sure it can make it through at least one more winter"
Karin, Hailsham shop volunteer
This is Karin who is our amazing shop volunteer. Karin is now 87 years of age and passionately continues to work 3 days a week. The photos show her wearing her 1920’s Flapper Girl Dress, and with her beloved 1923 Cowley. Which she used to take part in the Veteran and Vintage Car Rallies with her late husband. In the evening they would dress up in vintage clothing to celebrate after a long day on the rally. Karin said she would never part with the dress or the car and still wears the dress today for fancy dress parties and is pictured here driving her granddaughter to her wedding.
Panyika, CCD Freight & Export Sales Manager
"Bought as a birthday present by my then girlfriend, Omega Mpofu, in April 2008, this comfy red and grey striped T-shirt has lasting memories and remains one of my favourite clothes despite its age (15 years). It reminds me of our dating days as well as all the places we visited and the adventures we had together in the UK as well as the Republic of Ireland. Omega and I are still together to this date, and our daughter, Opa, is now 10. I have another item that I have owned even longer. I bought a black pair of Pierre Cardin trousers in Zimbabwe in April 1992. That makes it 31 years old. I still wear the trousers today."
(Pictured below: Omega and Panyika at Trafalgar Square, London, on 9th June 2008 and Panyika now, with trousers and t-shirt)
Majonne, Head of Environment & Sustainability
"I can’t quite believe that I bought this jumper over 20 years ago. It might surprise some of you that it is a H&M jumper, not normally a company known for making products that last this long! I bought it when I was a student, in Eindhoven in The Netherlands. It is a great jumper for cycling in the colder months either on its own or with a rain jacket on top.
At some point a couple of years ago one of the threads in the cuff seam broke and it started to unravel. As I liked the jumper so much, I decided to repair it. I think it was one of the first repairs that I did myself. Before I would have just asked my mum to fix it for me but by this time I was getting a bit more confident in fixing things myself. It seems to have worked as it still looks ok."
