Categories Daily life in Cape Town, Environment, Running

The Curse of Fast Fashion

by Catrina70 Comments on The Curse of Fast Fashion
  • View from Saturday’s long run

I have a running T-shirt that I hate wearing.

I got it at a 12k race a few weeks ago. It’s made of cheap polyester, it’s bulky and heavy and I feel like I’m suffocating when I’m wearing it. So far, I’ve only worn it once. In Marie Kondo’s words, it doesn’t spark any joy at all.

  • The suffocating shirt.
  • Kai bravely wearing it.

It’s not a problem, as I have plenty of other options. I have 19 summer running tops: 8 tank tops, 8 T-shirts and 3 long-arm shirts. Of these, 11 are from races.

I could simply donate the suffocating running shirt, right?

Turns out, that is not the best solution.

When clothes are donated to a charity, such as Goodwill or Salvation Army, approximately 20 percent of them are resold. The other 80 percent are sold to textile recycling companies or are discarded. While 95 percent of all used textiles can be reused or recycled, only 15 percent are recovered from the waste stream.

That awful red race shirt should never have been produced in the first place.

Overconsumption of clothing has profound negative environmental impacts. The horrifying photos from the Atacama desert that went around the world in November 2021 are just the tip of the iceberg.

  • Mountains of used clothes in the Atacama desert, Chile

What can be done?

1. Buy less! Before making a purchase, ask yourself: will I wear this a minimum of 30 times? I have a favourite shirt that I’ve worn so many times it’s nearly too embarrassing to admit.

  • Yep. Always…
  • ..the same…
  • shirt.

2. Buy quality products. These can be worn for a long time. Volker, a runner in Germany, just posted these two photos on his blog. The jacket and the shirt are from 2005. Both items are his favourites and he hopes to wear them for a few more years.

3. Buy clothes that have recycling programs. Stores like Patagonia and North Face will take back used clothes and will reward you with a discount on your next purchase.

4. Say no to cheap race shirts. Coming back to that awful race shirt: I should have immediately given feedback to the race director and the sponsor (a local bank). The more people that express their concern, the more likely the organizers will listen. That way, a lot fewer shirts will end up in the donation heap (or in a desert in Chile).

5. Donate to local organizations. Instead of donating to large chain charities, donate to a local shelter or nonprofit organization that gives clothes directly to those in need in your community.

These are just a few things that we can do to reduce overconsumption. What are your thoughts and ideas?

  • Some more photos…
  • …from my long run…
  • …last Saturday.
  • How do you reduce your consumption of fast fashion?

I’m joining Kooky Runner and Zenaida’s link-up, Tuesday Topics. I’m also joining Runner’s Roundup with Mile By Mile, Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Runs with Pugs and Laura Norris Running.

70 Comments

  1. I test things out, see if I like them or not. if I hate them (or outgrow them – ahem) , I donate onto small independent charities. Fortunately we have quite a few in the region.

    1. Testing things first is a great approach, Birdie! Small, independent charities are a great option. Fortunately, there are many around here in Cape Town, too. 🙂

  2. Liebe Catrina,
    du verbindest heute Extreme… wow diese tollen Bilder der Kulisse deines langen Laufs! Neid Neid Neid Neid und nochmal Neid! Da höre ich gleich das Rauschen der Wellen, rieche die Meeresluft, schaue aus meinem Fenster und sehe ………. G R A U! Aber es sei dir gegönnt, von Herzen!
    Tja, und dann das Thema Konsum und negative Folgen. Da bin ich voll bei dir! Wir zahlen einen hohen Preis für die Lust an immer wieder neuen Klamotten (und auch anderen Dingen). Ich kaufe auch lieber Qualität als billigen Kram, der nur wenige Wäschen überdauert. Und ich muss auch nicht immer die neueste Mode im Schrank hängen haben, wozu? Was beweise ich wem damit? Sich wohlfühlen hat für mich auch mit angenehmer Kleidung zu tun, aber das sind Trageeigenschaften und nicht Modediktat.
    Bei Laufshirts ist es bei mir ähnlich wie bei dir, viele sind von Wettbewerben. Vor allem die Marathonshirts haben für mich hohen Erinnerungswert. Bei anderen Läufen nehme ich meist erst gar keines, weil ich genug daheim habe. Mir ist auch schon die sehr unterschiedliche Qualität aufgefallen. Du hast recht, man sollte das dem Veranstalter mitteilen, damit für spätere Läufe keine Wegwerfshirts produziert werden und auch Bewusstsein für kritische Abnehmer entsteht. Letztendlich tut sich der Sponsor ja auch keinen Gefallen mit schlechter Qualität.
    Ansonsten, du weißt, ich liebe upcycling und habe auch für nicht (mehr) Tragbares Verwendung. Umgekehrt habe ich mir erst letzte Woche eine neue Laufjacke für kalte Tage gegönnt, die ist aus recyceltem Material und trägt sich sehr gut. Dafür trage ich aber meine gute alte Goretex-Regenlaufjacke (gleicher Blauton wie Volkers Outfit) immer noch gern und werde die nicht hergeben!
    Liebe Grüße
    Elke

    1. Liebe Elke
      Das war eine wunderschöne Kulisse! Der einzige Nachteil war, dass meine Route durch Orte mit Strandbädern führte. Es war der bisher heisseste Tag des Jahres UND es war ein Samstag – du kannst dir nicht vorstellen, wie viele Menschen sich auf dem Strand tummelten.
      Sogar vor dem Schwimmbad war die Menschenschlange Hunderte Meter lang. Jetzt ist es wieder kühler geworden und die Strand-Situation hat sich wieder normalisiert. 🙂

      Genau! Tragekomfort und Qualität sind entscheidend. Manchmal haben die Veranstalter recht gute Shirts – mit den Jungfrau-Marathon Shirts laufe ich gerne herum (beim pinkigen Shirt war ich nicht dabei!) 🙂
      Dein Upcycling ist natürlich absolute Spitze – ich glaube, du holst mehr aus diesen Laufshirts raus als jedes Recycling-Unternehmen. Was ist denn das für eine Laufjacke aus recyceltem Material? Ist sie aus PET Flaschen oder so?

      Du hast also auch eine alte Jacke! Wahrscheinlich aus der gleichen Ära wie Volker. Kai hat auch eine uralte, gelbe Regenlaufjacke im Schrank. Ich glaube, die ist sogar aus den 90ern. 🙂

      Liebe Grüsse aus dem angenehm warmen Cape Town!

  3. Guten Morgen, liebe Catrina, kann dir nur voll und ganz zustimmen. Auch ich hatte früher sehr viele Shirts, die man bei Wettkämpfen dazu geschenkt bekam. Später musste man sie dann kaufen, und das habe ich nicht getan, weil ich ersten genug Shirts habe, zum Zweiten nicht gerne mit Shirts herumlaufe, auf denen groß und breit steht, wann ich wo gelaufen bin, das überlasse ich anderen. Außerdem sind/waren diese Shirts meist von weniger guter Qualität, was sich nach dem ersten Waschen bereits bemerkbar machte.

    Wie ich schon anderweitig berichtete, werfe ich nichts weg, denn alle meine Laufklamotten sind hochwertig und neuerdings achte ich auch darauf, dass sie möglichst aus recyceltem Material hergestellt sind, das ist heutzutage kein Problem, man muss sich nur umsehen. Alle Teile, die ich ebenso über viele Jahre getragen habe, die immer noch so gut wie neu aussehen, verschenke ich an eine liebe Lauffreundin und oder an meine syrische Familie. Dann gibt es noch ein Sozialkaufhaus, das sich ebenso über alles freut, was andere Menschen sich nicht kaufen können, so dass ich ein ruhiges Gewissen habe.

    Wunderschöne Bilder von deinem langen Lauf, da geht einem das Herz auf. Meer ist eben mehr !

    Liebe Grüße von der anderen See – heute grau in grau – kein Grund, zu Hause zu bleiben – im Gegenteil !

    1. Liebe Margitta
      Das finde ich super, wenn der Veranstalter den Läufern die Wahl gibt und man die Wettkampfshirts zusätzlich kaufen kann. Wenn das so ist, verzichte ich immer darauf, da ich ja auch mehr als genug habe. Ist schon peinlich genug, wenn ich mit Finishershirts von 2014 hier in Cape Town herumlaufe. 🙂
      Es gab einen Lauf in Zürich, das lange unförmige XXL-Baumwollshirts herausgab. Die sind als “Fahrrad-Putztücher” in die Geschichte eingegangen. Zum Glück haben sie dann damit aufgehört und jetzt gibt es stattdessen Honig. Viel besser!

      Ich finde es schön, dass du so sorgfältig mit deinen Sachen umgehst und deine gute Klamotten ein zweites Leben geniessen können. Ein Win-Win-Win für alle: du hast einen guten Dienst erwiesen, die Umwelt ist weniger belastet und andere haben eine Riesenfreude daran.

      Den Lauf vom Samstag würde ich gerne wiederholen – ich plane, die Route nochmals morgen früh zu machen. Ich habe wieder mit den längeren Läufen angefangen – ich muss ja bis April irgendwie einen Ultra hinkriegen! 🙂

      Liebe Grüsse vom sonnigen Meer – ich hoffe, dass sich das Grau bei dir heute etwas auflöst. Aber Hauptsache, draussen!

  4. Liebe Catrina,
    wie schon bei Volker kommentiert, bin auch ich eine begeisterte Altkleiderträgerin! Zwar gönne ich mir auch gelegentlich ein neues Ausstattungsteil, (gerade wenn es so wunderschön orange ist, wie meine neue Jacke!), achte aber sehr auf Qualität (die oft nicht vom Preis abhängt; meine älteste Laufhose ist über 10 Jahre alt und ein Crane = Hofer/Aldi Produkt!).
    Es ist am einfachsten und logischsten, erst gar nicht zu viel zu kaufen, dann muss sich auch gar nicht soviel Gedanken über das weiterverwenden bzw. -verwerten gemacht werden. Hier im Ort gibt es einen wunderbaren Dauerflohmarkt (nicht nur für Kleidung, auch Küchengeräte, Geschirr, kleine Einrichtungsgegenstände und BÜCHER!) bei dem ich gerne einkaufe, weil ich dadurch Produkten eine weitere Verwendung zukommen lassen und nebenbei soziale Projekte unterstützen kann. Es muss nicht immer neu sein! 🙂

    1. Liebe Doris
      Ha, mir geht es genauso mit meiner liebsten Winterhose! Ich habe die vor zig-Jahren bei einem Discounter gekauft. Der Discounter ist inzwischen eingegangen und es wurde durch einen Decathlon ersetzt. Aber meine Hose existiert immer noch und hat kaum EUR 30.- gekostet. Der beste Kauf. 🙂

      Yes! Je weniger man konsumiert, desto weniger Probleme. So einen Dauerflohmarkt ist doch eine herrliche Sache. Wir haben so etwas Ähnliches in Zürich (“Brockenhaus” oder liebevoll “Brocki” genannt). Ich habe Bekannte, die haben ihre ganze Retro-Innenausstattung von den Brockis. Eine super Sache! Es gibt auch coole Sachen aus zweiter Hand über Online-Shops, aber ich habe die physischen Läden auch lieber. 🙂

  5. Great list! We should all buy less and when we buy, make sure the garment is of good quality and something we really like. I´d also like to see people take better care of their clothes: mend, have them altered if needed and protect (shoes especially).

    I also have a horrendous race shirt that I keep just as a memento, I never wear it. I´d rather have a clothes patch that I could iron/sew on my running gear, that would be a fun gift and would be fun to collect them from different years etc. 🙂

    1. That’s a great point that you make about mending and altering clothes, Riitta. My grandma was great at that, she used to mend all our clothes as kids. Just the other day I noticed that the collar of one of my husband’s dress shirts was all frayed. So I cut up the shirt to use the fabric as rags. However, my grandma would have turned the collar and extended the shirts’ life.

      Ha, I love that suggestion for awful race shirts! It reminds me of Elke, a German blogger. She does a lot of creative upcycling with race T-shirts. It’s a fun way of treasuring race souvenirs!

  6. I am totally on board with this, Catrina!!! In packing for our (almost) 5-week Florida adventure, space was limited on what I could bring. I was very selective in what I brought (regular fashion & fitness gear). Although these items have been on constant repeat, I’m glad I was able to make it work. It really is crazy how the media “pressures” us to keep acquiring without being mindful of where the excess winds up when we no longer “need” it. BTW, I’m not a fan of boxy, cheap event shirts either.

    1. Exactly, Kim! Travelling really helps to limit the number of clothes. You had the additional difficulty of dealing with hot and cold weather in Florida – and yet you could make it work! Well done!
      I also like how you come up with tips on your blog on how to get the most out of our running clothes. We don’t always need to buy new stuff to create new looks – just a few tweaks often suffice to get a “holiday look” out of a particular combo.

  7. What a great reminder Catrina! I think I adhere to the rule that I wear 20% of what I have 80% of the time. I do have MANY running tops that I’ve had for over 10 years, but yes, I could do with much less. The race shirts that never spark joy are the worst. We do have an abused women’s shelter here where I love to volunteer and donate.

    1. I think I have the same 80/20 ratio, Marcia! That’s so great that you have a place where you know your donations will be used and appreciated. On top of that, you volunteer at the shelter – that is awesome!

  8. This is a great topic, Catrina, and I am guilty as charged. I used to donate running clothes I no longer wore to a local group, but since I haven’t wanted to be in groups yet it’s not so much an option now.

    OTOH, I have some clothes I’ve been wearing almost since I first starting running!

    I do love races that allow you to opt out of the swag. I also wear long sleeve race shirt to sleep in, and wear the tanks to do strength training in.

    But I do still usually donate bags of clothes each year. 🙁

    1. Donating to a local group is a great option, Judy, and it’s great that you could do it for so long. I’m sure they loved your running skirts!
      That’s awesome that you still use things from long ago! Kai has a yellow rain jacket that must be from the 90s – he still loves it.
      I like that option too – it also makes races cheaper, which is nice. I’m with you on the pyjamas – yesterday night I slept in a cotton T-shirt that I got from a race in Florida in 2012. 🙂
      Maybe you can find a local organization that could use your clothes – I’m sure a lot of it is in great condition.

  9. A very interesting post with a great list. I buy only quality clothes, in the past I refused many times to get and wear the official outfits of my (at that time) running teams because I didn’t like the quality of the items.
    Of course I got many race shirts but I don’t have any problem because my son and his family are happy to wear such clothes during they workouts (soccer, gym, running ecc.) and also some friends of mine.

    1. That is so nice to read, Stefano! Buying good quality clothes makes a big difference.
      Having people around you who make good use of your race shirts is the best option! That’s one of the advantages of having a sports-minded family and fit friends! 🙂

  10. I have had my shirts made into a quilt. Two in fact and May do a third.

    I also donate a lot of them.

    For the cold weather races I use them as throwaways.

    Still I have too many and only wear my favorites.

    1. Oh wait, I remember you mentioned that! I love that! Who made the quilt? A professional seamstress?

      I sometimes used my warmer clothes as throwaways. But I would usually go back to the starting area and if the clothes were still around (they always were), I collected them again. So I was back to square one.

      Sounds like many more quilts, Darlene! 🙂

  11. It’s crazy how many things get worn so infrequently! I personally don’t shop very often, and many of my clothes have been worn 100 times or more! In fact, I haven’t been clothes shopping since August because my grandmother is decluttering, and her tops actually fit me perfectly. Some are really great quality and from famous brands, which I wouldn’t buy for myself.

    I think for me, the key is not only donating, but also shopping second hand. I have so many great charity shops on my street, so I will definitely look there first if I need anything. The more people shop that way, the more things can get re-used.

    1. I remember when we went hiking you mentioned that you were wearing your grandmother’s top. I would never have guessed! It fit you very well and was a good quality item. Your comment made me go and check how much I spent in 2021 on “clothes and shoes”. It was my lowest ever: CHF 72.-

      An excellent point, Kat! I should have included second-hand shopping in my post. There are quite a few shops in Zurich that sell used luxury brands. It’s an option I should keep in mind next time I need something.

  12. Hey there ✋

    I don’t ever need another race shirt ever again. I wish for socks , a badge or a running cap instead. I would wear those all the time. I have my own shirts that I love to wear, & another shirt from a race is not welcome. Any shirts I have now that are of no use, get used for dirty work, such as painting, gardening, construction. If they insist giving the shirt,I get a different size for someone who appreciates it. Or perhaps no shirt at all option & charge less for the race.

    While we are at it, I do NOT need more medals? No, no, no more medals either. Maybe we could have an option for no medals as well. Cheaper race entry too?

    All these races have now gone out of control & result in so much waste & essentially counter the effects of healthy living by contamination of the environment w both production processes of junk & then waste disposal challenges Argh. 😱😱😱

    1. Yes! Socks! Caps! Towels! Anything but shirts! 🙂
      You mention another interesting option that I never thought of: getting the shirt in a different size! That way, I could pass it on to my brother who runs but doesn’t race. Thanks for that idea, Yves!

      Absolutely agree! I NEVER keep my medals. I guess for runners who are new to racing it’s nice to have a medal – so they should make this an option, for races. Pay for one if you want one. It’s could be so simple!

      That same race with the awful red shirt also gave out plastic reusable bottles. I have so many of them at home, I don’t need any more. So frustrating! But here’s some good news: just this afternoon I got a mail from a Swiss race that I will do in July. A student is analyzing whether the race is sufficiently sustainable and has sent out a questionnaire to all participants. It’s a step in the right direction!

      1. I know many races are now looking on their impact. Ottawa Race Weekend just got a certification as a low impact race event. They are working on even improving that.

        Just the small races want flash & bling & pretend they are big time without thinking about their impacts.

        1. This is so encouraging to hear, Yves! I hope that other races will follow and that the pressure to be sustainable continues to increase.

          I agree! Let’s hope that they will learn quickly from the “big ones”! 🙂

  13. P.S. W Covid19 who needs new clothes anymore? I don’t go anywhere anymore. The only things that need replacing are underwear & socks. I have enough clothing to last forever. I may wear a suit to chop wood in the near future🤣🤣🤣

    1. Haha, chopping wood in a suit!! Exactly!!
      I just checked my expenditure for clothes and shoes (excluding running shoes) for 2021: it was 72 Swiss francs = 99 Canadian dollars. You are absolutely right – who needs new clothes?!

  14. Great, great topic. I became aware of the “fast fashion” issue a couple years ago, but I can’t say I’ve done enough to change. One thing I do now is spend a little more money on quality pieces that will last for years instead of cheaper things (in the past I always gravitated towards cheap!). But I should look into the companies you mentioned, and start being more selective where I purchase from. Also that’s a great tip- instead of donating to Goodwill (because I think a lot of things end up in the dumpster behind their building) find a local shelter that will actually use the clothes. Thanks for this post!

    1. Oh yes, I was always gravitating to the cheaper side, too! It took me a while to realize that I’m better off with quality clothes. Now, I only buy something if I really need to replace something – and it’s surprisingly rare. And it’s also surprising how much money I save that way 🙂

      It’s a shame that the donated clothes are not used in the way that’s intended. I hope you will manage to find a local shelter, Jenny!

  15. Great post. I had not seen the photo of the clothes pile in the desert. That’s horrible. I have way too many t-shirts, mostly from a charity I am/was involved with. I, too, only wear a few items that I own. I really need to do a purge and donate to those who don’t throw things away.

    1. That photo from Chile was so shocking. It really made me re-think my buying habits.
      It feels so good to purge and clean out your wardrobe and start fresh. And if you can find a worthy place to donate, like a local shelter or charity, even better! In a few months, it will be spring, that’s always a good moment to start such a project. 🙂

      1. I am horrible about holding on to clothing, but I have lost weight, so need to purge the clothes that I can no longer wear. I just haven’t taken the time to do so yet.

  16. Liebe Catrina,

    oh, oh, willste mir ein schlechtes Gewissen machen … ach nee, ist ja ein ‘offener’ Post! 😆

    Jetzt aber erst einmal vielen Dank für die vielen, schönen Bilder, egal zu welchem Thema sie sind. Die landschaftlichen sind wieder sehr schön, aber auch die zum ernsteren Thema sind sehr passend!

    … und vielen Dank für den Input! – Grundsätzlich bin ich absolut deiner Meinung, habe auch eine ‘Wandlung’ erlebt. Als junger Läufer (Student) musste ich noch mehr aufs Portemonnaie achten. Später stellte ich fest, dass die Discounterware nicht die beste Passform hatte, auch weil sie mir ‘schmalem Hemde’ nicht entgegen kam! 😛 Zum Glück konnte ich mir dann die bessere Qualität leisten. Seit Jahren gehe ich eh nur noch ins Läuferherz … die haben sehr gute Ware!!!

    Allerdings hat es auch Nachteile, dass die Klamotten so lange halten. Erst hatte es bei vielen Läufen ein Shirt dazu gegeben. Dann sollte man sie sich kaufen, da habe ich drauf verzichtet, zumal ich noch mehr Shirts habe! 😥 Zum anderen will man sie nicht zu schnell wegwerfen, sich aber auch mal was Neues gönnen. Der Kleiderschrank wird voller und voller.

    Das hat auch damit zu tun, dass sich vor Jahren meine Lauferei verändert hat, vom Straßenläufer zum Trail-, bzw. Gebirgsläufer! – Die Ansprüche an die Kleidung veränderte sich, ich brauchte Shirts mit Kragen, um mir bei den langen Läufen nicht den Hals von den Rucksackträgern zerkratzen zu lassen, bei Läufen von mehr als 20 Stunden! Sprintershorts mag ich nicht mehr 😛 Ich liebe heute Hosen (2in1) mit Taschen, da brauche ich nicht gleich einen Rucksack. … brauch aber z. B. eine Brille!

    Beim Entsorgen dann trennen, JA! Es gibt Shops der Entwicklungs- und Katastrophenhilfe (ADRA) unserer Freikirche, Kleidung hinbringen, verschenken! Sie können es dann günstig weiterverkaufen. Ähnlich wie beim Second-Hand-Shop, man unterstützt auch die Entwicklungs- und Katastrophenhilfe, die weltweit aktiv und absolut seriös ist. – Auch nutze ich Shirts für Gartenarbeit, zum Renovieren, oder für ‘dreckige’ Arbeiten, wie Auto- und Fahrradputzen. 😉 … und die zerschlissenen gehen in die Tonne, auch Altkleidertonne!

    Müsste dir mal wieder folgen und über meinen Lauf-Kleiderschrank schreiben, werde nur nicht alles aufzählen oder verraten, aber deine Idee unterstützen!

    Also, vielen Dank für die Idee!

    Aus dem nebligen Darmstadt ins heiße Südafrika
    liebe Grüße Manfred

    1. Lieber Manfred

      Da wird sich Volker auch freuen, dass dir die Fotos gefallen! 🙂 Die Landschaft-Fotos gefallen mir auch sehr, ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass die so gut rauskommen.
      Ich glaube, diese Phase machen viele durch, ich ja auch. Zuerst billige Ware nach dem Motto ist ja egal… und dann merkt man mit der Zeit, dass es besser ist, ein paar wenige, aber gute Stücke zu haben. Das 361° Shirt zum Beispiel trage ich immer sehr gerne. Ja, es war etwas teurer, aber dafür macht es Spass, es zu tragen. 🙂
      Ich finde es super, wenn die Veranstalter den Teilnehmern die Wahl geben – das sollten sie bei den Medaillen auch so machen. Wer ein Souvenir will, kann es haben und dafür bezahlen. Dann würden die Wettkämpfe für die anderen auch tiefer ausfallen.

      Das mit dem Wechsel vom Strassen- zum Trailläufer ist ein guter Punkt. Man braucht andere Schuhe, andere Kleider, dann einen Rucksack…ich glaube, meine nächste Investition werden klappbare Stöcke sein. Auch nicht ganz billig. Kai mag die 2-in-1 Hosen auch, die Sprintershorts hat er gar nicht mehr. Wenn ich mir das so überlege, sieht man die Sprintershorts kaum noch auf der Strasse.

      Super! Du hast offenbar die richtigen Organisationen gefunden, um wirkungsvoll die Kleider zu spenden. Die Shirts als Arbeitskleider zu verwenden ist eine gute Idee. Ich benutze die wenigen Baumwollshirts, die ich von Läufen aus den USA habe, als Pyjama. Das Blöde ist nur, die Dinger halten EWIG! Ich glaube, ich schlafe noch als 90-jährige in den Shirts.

      Super, mache das, Manfred! Wäre sowieso mal interessant, in den Sportkleiderschränken von anderen Läufern zu blinzeln. Vielleicht gibt es daraus eine kleine Reihe! 🙂

      Liebe Grüsse aus dem wieder etwas normal-temperaturigen Cape Town!

  17. 100% agree with you on this. I have gotten so many awful race shirts over the years and IMHO, why bother if you aren’t going to give something decent? My favorite shirts are cotton pullovers that I can wear off the road and to bed at night. When they become too ratty to wear, I tear them up and use them for cleaning rags. I do love my InknBurn gear and the best thing about that is there is a big resale market for it.

    1. Exactly, Wendy! Why do the race organizations go into all that trouble for cheap race shirts?!
      Haha, you know what I’m sleeping in tonight? A white cotton race shirt that I got in Florida many years ago. It’s quite comfy and perfect to sleep in 🙂
      I remember you mentioned that about InknBurn – that’s a great way to give clothes a second life. Perfect!

  18. I love this post Catrina! So thoughtful and relevant and also ties in with just being more environmentally-friendly or conscious. That desert photo is quite shocking and I’ve seen similar footage from a Ghanaian youtuber.

    I’m guilty of over-buying running clothes but I also hate throwing things away so I end up with stuff I wear many times. I don’t like race shirts so I order them in my dad’s size so he can use them. Most of them are cotton so he quite enjoys them for his walks.

    1. Thank you, Shathiso! I think as runners we spend a lot of time in nature and we all have a special love for our environment.
      That’s so sad to hear that the same problem persists in Ghana!
      You are the second person to mention that: getting a race shirt in a different size for another family member. It’s a brilliant idea and never occurred to me before. I will remember to do that going forward. I bet everyone admires how sporty your dad is when he wears all those race shirts! 🙂

  19. What a great reminder! I admit I am a hazard to the environment. I have a serious activewear problem. I do donate lots of gear and give lots to friends as well. I had no idea that they were not recycled. Thanks for the reminder

    1. I’m sure your friends are happy to receive your activewear, Deborah! There’s nothing wrong with donating clothes if they make proper use of your donations. Otherwise, a local shelter or charity organization might be the way to go.

  20. i have started wearing almost all Brooks products which last me a really long time. I have one race sweatshirt that I got at my first half-marathon in 2007 and I wear it almost every day! I am surprised it hasn’t fallen apart yet.

    1. Wow, that is so cool about your half-marathon shirt, Lisa! I have a race shirt from 2014 – I think it will last me a long time, too. It’s amazing how durable some pieces are.

  21. These are all such great tips! I rarely donate anything to Goodwill anymore for the reasons you listed. But we have several charitable organizations here that offer used/new clothing to people in need for free, so I always donate there since I know the items will go to people instead of the landfill.

    I have sent my race shirts to a company called Project Repat. I am not sure if they are international, but it may be worth checking them out since they convert race shirts to blankets.

    1. That’s so good that you have found some good organizations, Kim!
      I have just googled Project Repat. Amazing! Darlene mentioned that she had quilts made of her shirts – I guess this must be the organization. A fabulous idea! I will check whether there’s anything like that in Europe.

  22. I rarely get the race shirt anymore. The ones I have are from years ago when cotton shirts were a thing. I do have some recent shirts that are cotton and I wear them at night as a pajama top. I am guilty of buying more running gear than I need, but I rotate it all so that I can wear all of it too. 🙂

    1. Me too, Zenaida! I wear my cotton race T-shirts as pyjama tops. Also, when they’re used up, you can always cut them into pieces and use them as cotton rags.
      As long as you make good use of your gear you’re not in overconsumption mode. 🙂

  23. Liebe Catrina,
    wie Recht du hast. Also wenn ich die Wahl habe, verzichte ich auf Finisher Shirts. Ich habe einige wenige, die mir wirklich am Herzen liegen und im Schrank, da ich sie nicht trage. Sie sind mir zu wertvoll, um sie zu verschwitzen, hihi. Die sind nur für mich allein. Ich finde es tatsächlich furchtbar, bei anderen Wettkämpfen mit solchen Shirts aufzutauchen, um zu zeigen, was man schon alles gemacht hat. 2 trage ich allerdings, da sie nur einen kleinen dezenten Aufdruck haben und von wirklich angenehmer Qualität sind. Letztendlich trägt man sowieso nur seine 2-3 Lieblingsshirts.
    Liebe Grüße
    Karina

    1. Liebe Karina
      Haha, das kann ich gut nachvollziehen! Ich schone manche Shirts auch, weil sie mir zu “wertvoll” sind. So habe ich seit 4 Jahren eine weisse(!) Jacke im Schrank hängen. Die stammt von einem netten Volunteer-Event wo ich sehr gerne mitgemacht habe. Weil ich immer Angst habe, dass sie dreckig wird, ziehe ich sie fast nie an. Blöd, nicht wahr?
      So Angeber-Shirts sind schon etwas peinlich. In letzter Zeit habe ich den Eindruck, dass die Organisatoren mehr drauf achten, dass die Audrucke etwas dezenter sind. Es muss ja nicht über IRONMAN draufstehen… 🙂
      Liebe Grüsse zurück!

  24. Liebe Catrina,

    wir haben uns ja schon kurz auf meinem Blog zu dem Thema ausgetauscht. Wenn ich eins während der Corona-Zeit nicht vermisst habe, dann ist es Klamotten shoppen. Klar erliege auch ich mal der Versuchung, aber in der Regel kaufe ich gezielt Klamotten, weil die alten Sachen entweder aufgetragen oder nicht mehr modern oder auch mal ein Fehlkauf waren.

    Auf Sylt habe ich mir mal eine Synthetik-Shorts gekauft, die komplett aus halten Plastikflaschen hergestellt ist. Sündhaft teuer, aber herrlich im Stoff und angenehm zu tragen. Auch das ist also eine Möglichkeit umweltbewußt zu kaufen.

    Mit dem Kauf von Marken- bzw. Qualitätsware ist das allerdings manchmal so eine Sache. Ich bin teuren Sachen schon reingefallen und hatte mit billigen Glück. So schleppe ich eine 12 € Sweatshirt-Jacke von KIK schon jahrelang, während ihre teure Vorgängerin von S Oliver bin kürzester Zeit total unansehnlich geworden ist.

    Am besten kauft man einfach nicht so viel 🙂

    Liebe Grüße aus dem abendlichen Oldenburg
    Volker

    1. Lieber Volker
      Genau! Ich führe Buch über meine Ausgaben und stelle fest, dass ich 2021 weniger als 70 Euro für Klamotten ausgegeben habe. Kleider kaufen gehört auch nicht zu meiner Lieblingsbeschäftigung. 😉

      Interessant mit den recycelten Shorts. Das ist eigentlich ein Win-Win: die PET Flaschen werden sinnvoll verwendet, du hast tolle Shorts und die Umwelt freut sich.

      So geht es mir auch mit einer langen Winter-Laufhose. Die war super billig von einem Discounter (den es inzwischen auch nicht mehr gibt). aber die Hose ist die beste in meiner ganzen “Kollektion”.

      Nicht viel kaufen, und das, was man hat, lange tragen! Du bist ja sehr vorbildlich in dieser Disziplin. Danke nochmals, dass ich deine Fotos verwenden durfte! Du hast mir auch die Idee für diesen Post gegeben. Sehr inspirierend. 🙂

      Liebe Grüsse aus dem morgendlichen Cape Town!

  25. This is such an excellent article, Catrina. Once I come up with an introduction I would like to post it on Twitter. It is quite ironic, when I was out walking with my friend Alicia on Barrie’s waterfront we were talking about this very topic…fast fashion.

    It got on to that topic as we were comparing our winter gear on that -30C day. My winter coat is around 10 years old (maybe much older because I bought it at a thrift store), but last winter the zipper went on it. It was still in excellent condition, just has a broken zipper. It also has snaps. So if it is cold like on that day of our walk, I’ll put a light zippered jacket underneath. Problem solved. Because the zipper is broken, I honestly believe the coat would be rejected and trashed at somewhere like the Salvation Army, and possibly even a local shelter.

    I was reading Yves’s comment on medals, and the race Pick Your Poison has socks instead of a finishers medal. They are amazing quality. With the exception of some compression running gear these past couple of years, the only thing I have bought new in stores over the past 30 years are socks, underwear and running shoes. Everything else I buy is thrift store shopping. Avoids having new clothing manufactured when there is tons of clothing obtainable used. I am very fussy on quality. If a person looks after quality clothing, it last such a long time. Cycling gear (bought at a thrift store) I have is over 30 years old. I don’t ride now as much now as I used to for safety. My friend Alicia was saying all those teal colors from the 1990’s are making a comeback. Even if it is a great deal, I won’t buy it if I am not sure I will wear it. Many times I will walk out of the thrift store without anything. But it was fun to browse.

    I have bought GoreTex clothing at thrift stores dirt cheap. I figured they were donated because the water repellency had gone out of them. But that is extremely easy to fix. https://www.gore-tex.com/blog/restore-durable-water-repellency-raingear. Like your pink top shown at many races, I do have a favorite shirt for races. An orange shirt made by Salomon. And yes, bought used at a thrift store. Wore it 3 days straight at Bad Beaver Ultra. And it went down to Mexico with me with the Monarch Ultra. I went down on the bus with just a large hydration pack to hold all my gear. Two shirts (including the Salomon for the ultra runs). At the end of each day my gear would be hand washed. So much respect for you, Catrina. Thanks again for such an amazing post. 🤗

    1. What a coincidence that you were talking about this with your friend Alicia, Carl!

      I love that story about your winter coat. That is a great example of making good use of your clothes. Perhaps you could even get the zipper fixed by a seamstress. Although that might not be the cheapest solution, depending on the hourly rate. I know that in Switzerland, it can be quite costly to repair clothing. Here in South Africa, it’s the way to go because of the cheaper labour prices.

      I really need to look into thrift store shopping. Another commenter, Kathrin in London, mentioned that, too. I am sure there are some great gems hidden in those thrift stores.
      Exactly – so far, I have only been buying underwear, socks and running shoes. Like you, I will only buy something if I really need it. Last year, I spent USD 70 on clothes – I bought new shorts here in South Africa. I bought it at an outlet, but next time I will look for thrift stores.

      What?! I didn’t know that the water repellency could be restored in GoreTex clothing, Carl! That’s amazing, thanks for the link! I think it’s really cool of the company to point that out to its clients.

      You have a favourite shirt, too! Solomon is of great quality and I love that you make so much good use of it.
      I find many of the comments to this post were so encouraging. Many people are aware of the problem and are prepared to reduce their consumption. But there still remains a lot to be done to raise awareness. The more we talk about the environmental issues and what the individuals can do, the better. You are doing a great job at this, Carl! Please keep it up!

      1. Thank you so much for such a wonderful response, Catrina. Seamstress prices are also very steep here in Canada. If I remember correctly, I only paid $10 Canadian for that winter coat at a thrift store.

        You have done incredibly well with your clothing purchases, So much respect for you. Yeah that Salomon shirt has been in a lot of race article pictures. Much like your pink sleeveless running shirt. It is actually the one you will see on my Gravatar photo. That was in Mexico for the Monarch Ultra. I always love reading the comment threads here on your blog articles. You have an amazing following, Catrina. It really was encouraging to see people are very aware of the problem. 👕😀

        1. 10 Dollars! That what a great purchase, Carl!

          Isn’t it funny how a clothing item becomes our constant companion? Similar to our running shoes, they accompany us for many miles and adventures. When I finally have to throw an item away, I feel like I have to ceremonially thank the clothes and shoes for their loyal service. 🙂
          Thank you for your great support, Carl, and for holding up the flag for our precious environment!

          1. I had a pair of Hoka’s that carried much of the distance of my #GVRAT triple crossing. They covered a pile of distance, there was nothing left to them. I did give a big thank you when I parted with them. You are very welcome, Catrina! 🤗

          2. Haha, it’s funny the way we are grateful to our running shoes, Carl!
            I can just imagine the scene how you bid farewell to your loyal Hokas – so nice. 🙂

  26. Dear Catrina,

    I buy very little running clothes. My running jacket is from 2004 (so even a year older than Volker’s) and I really really like it. I definitely have too many shirts from races. Some I really really like and wear often, others not so much. So if there is a no shirt option I always take that for a race. (I did buy the Berlin marathon shirt last year though – I really liked the design and quality and it has become one of my favorite shirts.) And yes please please no more medals, but socks! I really need socks all the time!
    I am a member of a Buy Nothing Group here and swap some clothes (and other stuff) from time to time. I like that for recycling.

    1. I’m so happy to hear that, Roni!
      I always choose the “no shirt” and “no medal” options as well, (if there is an option). Buying a shirt of an important race that you actually love to wear make total sense!
      We need to start a socks movement! I hope the race directors are listening!
      I love that movement! In Switzerland, there’s a “sharely” platform, where you can borrow things like lawnmowers, ladders, furniture, etc. It’s very useful! It’s a win-win: stuff gets used and you don’t need to own everything yourself.

  27. Yes! I love this post – I don’t like how much waste comes with fast fashion. I try to buy quality items only of what I really need. I’ll skip race shirts or use them for sleep clothes.

    1. That’s so good to hear, Laura.
      So many said they sleep in their race shirts – I do too. There must be millions of runners using race shirts as pyjamas! 🙂

  28. Oh, wow.

    I donate a lot to our “Buy Nothing” group. It’s a hyper local group where you can ask for or gift items. No money is ever exchanged, and you definitely reach people with specific needs.

    I’m not good about clothes. My body is in a state of flux right now with peri menopause and sometimes I buy things because they make me feel better about how I look and feel.

    1. You are the second person that mentioned the “Buy Nothing” group. Such an awesome idea!

      I can understand that, Jenn. But if you are mindful about donating (which you are) and your things find a second life, at least the environmental impact is reduced.

  29. Ugh, I hear you on all the cheap shirts (that nobody likes to wear). I’ve started opting out of race shirts, unless it’s a shirt I know is of good quality and is one I’ll likely wear). It’s such a waste.

    1. Exactly, San! It’s such a waste.
      I’m glad you’re opting out of cheap shirts! Every decision counts. 😊

  30. I really like the unbundling that some races are doing. Even aside from your (excellent) 30 wear question, how many more shirts do we truly need? Costs of races would go down if they didn’t need to produce as many shirts and medals. Even though my 4 year old niece loves the medals, I’d rather they didn’t get produced to begin with. Recycling isn’t a good option, nor even a universal one. I had some shirts made into a quilt, but not sure that company was carbon neutral either

    1. I like the unbundling too! Just this morning I participated in a race where the race shirts had to be bought separately. Hardly anyone touched them. YAY!
      However, they did give out medals to everyone, which I could easily do without. I completely agree with you, not producing them in the first place is much better than recycling them.
      Good point about the quilt company, Cari. That doesn’t solve the problem, either.

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