Post by Réka Tölg

Care labels are no longer enough to help people enjoy their clothes for longer. 👕 👖 🧵 ✂️ Our piece on product lifetimes and garment care for The Conversation is out. 🗞️ https://lnkd.in/dJ7SK4x5 Together with Ingrid Haugsrud from Forbruksforskningsinstituttet SIFO / Consumption Research Norway, we’ve written this article for The Conversation UK. We’ve both been interested in the challenge of garment care for some time, and because the topic bridges my PhD and postdoctoral research while also connecting to our shared work in the #HorizonEurope funded CARE | Circular Households project, writing this article has been a great opportunity to reflect on and synthesise insights from our previous research. The piece departs from one of the main findings of my PhD research: retailers—particularly in light of the EU Textile Strategy and the expected introduction of #EPR schemes—could do more to support households in caring for their garments and extending their lifespan, rather than relying on moralising messages or focusing on selling new products. While, our research also shows that many people are looking for practical ways to care for the clothes they already own. In response, in The Conversation UK article, we share some simple, evidence-informed tips for extending the life of garments, even without support from retailers. I hope you find it an interesting read. #ProductLifetimes #Textiles #Clothing #GarmentCare #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #SustainableFashion #HorizonEurope #CARECircularHouseholds