With all this headline talk today of ‘fast’ fashion contributing to the rapid depletion of the planet’s natural resources, with over consumption leading to environmental issues like the over use of landfill sites, I ask myself: what about vintage and retro products and do they add to the waste disposal problems we face today? Well almost by definition something that has reached an age to qualify as vintage or retro should have one or more of the following:
- Style – any demand for vintage products must stem from a perceived lifestyle or nostalgic need. Style is a very subjective quality but real nevertheless. Yves St Laurent is quoted as saying: Fashions fade, style is eternal. Similarly, anything that is created in a retro style and sells has followers who wish to buy into a style that held some sway in an earlier time. As with vintage, this may also be a nostalgic reaction or throwback to a time like, say, the mid 20th century. V and R buyers or collectors tend to be rather more mindful about their purchases than those who follow the latest trends in fashion. They adopt what has been described as ‘mindful curation ’by Tara Button, founder of BuyMeOnce.com and author of A Life Less Throwaway, tending to be selective according to their passionate interests and choosing carefully to buy only what they need and not to chase every shiny new thing. So they tend to hang onto things and not throw them away unless they become unusable or perhaps unsightly through irreparable wear and tear.
- Longevity – This must follow on from the philosophy to resist throwing away. For example, many branded products have been around from between 50 to 100 years. They stand the test of time and often though still in production and for sale today original items are still owned and in use today, some passed down the generations within families. Makers of hardwood furniture have been known to offer a 100 years warranty!
- Functionality – We are less likely to bin possessions which reliably provide a service like a toaster or a food mixer. Sometimes these kitchen essentials like the KitchenAid mixer and accessories and the Dualit 2 slot toaster have become indispensable to their owners often over a lifetime.
Clearly, the movement is gaining pace through the drive of some high profile stores
to repurpose or recycle clothing. You can see some of these here
and you can also have a look at beyondretro.com for vintage clothing