Make it last is a magazine and a community specializing in style and sustainability. Recognizing pre-owned fashion as a game changer when it comes to achieving a sustainable fashion future, Make it last wants everyone to see its beauty.

The importance and power of pre-owned fashion is undeniable if we’re going to make a change for a sustainable fashion future. The truth is: we’re never going to get there without it. Balancing the fast fashion industry, the pre-owned market ditches ‘the new’ and offers us the possibility of making use of what’s already here.

It’s a matter of changing one's attitude as a consumer, to get with the times and start making conscious, long-term decisions for one’s wardrobe. In the words of designer and climate activist Vivienne Westwood: ‘Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.’

The fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world. This while only about 20% of the clothing produced globally today is reused or recycled – the rest is either burnt or piled up in landfills. The most common consumption pattern is, unfortunately, to buy things new and cheap, use them a few times or barely at all, and then throw them in the trash.
This can go on no longer.

Did you know that the total time you use your garments actually has a huge effect on their total environmental impact? If we use them about three times longer than we are today, it reduces the garments’ total environmental impact by about 65%. That’s a lot. And by elongating their lifetime even beyond that, for example by selling or giving them away, the environmental footprint will decrease even more. This is why second hand and vintage are, without a doubt, the most sustainable forms of fashion.

But that’s far from the only reason why we love them.

In a time when original style is everything, designer pieces from previous seasons or decades help us create unique looks and wardrobes. As fashion is also cyclical, you can count on any given vintage piece to be back in trend many times over.

Another reason for sourcing your next buy on the pre-owned market is simply because they don’t make clothing like that anymore. Over time, and as a result of fast fashion, the true meaning of quality and craftsmanship seems to have been forgotten, together with the idea of investing in something that is meant to last and be handed down through generations.

Just look at the pieces from heritage brands like Chanel, Gucci or Hermès. With them, you’re not only getting a piece of art and history, you’re also making an investment for the future. By choosing classic, qualitative designs that you know you will actually wear and love, you’re building a timeless wardrobe to enjoy for years to come.

And, with the right care, you can be fairly certain to get some of the investment back once you decide to sell. With pre-owned fashion, you, and the world, simply have everything to gain.

Photo: @emmaeelwin

Please see a curated selection below from Make It Last: