More clothes are being purchased than ever in some countries, but this trend cannot continue. Would having a “wellbeing wardrobe” be advantageous?

If nothing changes soon, the fashion industry may need 35% more land by 2030 to manufacture fiber and 25% of the world’s remaining carbon budget by 2050 to keep global warming below 2C. Although it might appear impossible, this is true. In nearly the past 15 years, garment production has more than doubled while the amount of time we spend wearing clothes has reduced by over 40%. Due to dropping prices, consumers in the EU are buying more clothing than ever while spending less money. This can’t go on. There has to be a cost. Recent research has proposed a “wellbeing  wardrobe” as a new design paradigm in which the health of people and the environment are valued over the ever-increasing consumption of disposable rapid fashion.

The fashion industry’s continual development strategy will be difficult to replace with a sustainable one. But rather than allowing a tidal wave of pointless clothing to deplete our finite supply of materials, our energy, and our carbon budget, we should take steps to determine the direction of fashion and work toward a wardrobe that benefits both people and the environment.