Buy Nothing? Not Me.

Mar 31

March 21, 2024

This week is a short reflection on my personal consumption habits. It’s important to acknowledge why we feel or think certain things- the roots of who we are and why we are driven to do what we do. My personal values and settings have led me to a career based on valorizing things that already exist.

The Buy Nothing Contingent

I’m fascinated and terrified by people who limit their consumption to only 5 items per year. I’ve read many individuals’ experiences with their years of not buying anything, not buying anything new, limiting themselves to five new items etc. (Here’s an especially great essay by Ann Patchett in NYT- sorry for paywall! Her big takeaway was how much more time and brain space she had when she wasn’t focused on finding things to buy.) I usually feel guilty when I read these because I worry that I’m not being authentic if I don’t act that way too; given what I preach, shouldn’t I be practicing those challenges as well?

Secondhand When Possible

But, for better or worse, I don’t have a lot of self discipline when it comes to doing things I don’t want to do (just ask my family). I LOVE buying things. I get a total thrill from finding some beautiful piece of clothing, object, anything. I really like things that already exist, I always have. I think partially it’s because I’m a bit of a snob and I don’t want to buy some thing that everyone else is buying; I highly prize my individual aesthetic. I will never understand how everyone can buy the same trendy winter jacket, which you see repeated everywhere on the streets of New York. Seeing somebody else wearing the same thing as me is a little bit mortifying if I’m being honest. I express an important part of my individuality, through how I look, so I don’t want to look just like somebody else. On a personal level, I think that is why I like things that are old or not new, because most people aren’t wearing them.

My favorite lunch break activity is to walk to my little local thrift shop (how did I get so lucky!?) and peruse. Sometimes I find something for myself or my family, sometimes I don’t, but the thrill of knowing I could buy something makes me feel good. For my wardrobe, I think I buy about 75% of my items used. I’ll buy new jeans and swimsuits (which I will also buy used once I know exactly what I’m looking for). For my daughter (my other main needer of things) I buy a mix of used a new. She’s 5 1/2, fashion aware and willful. She will happily find items at a thrift store with me, and we buy some of her basics (like her new favorite bell bottom pants) in multiples at places like Target.

Production and Consumption

I think the real issue that needs to be addressed is the volume of new + mostly cheap clothes that are produced and consumed every year. The numbers on this vary, but most sources agree that we (earthlings) make about 100 billion pieces of clothing every year,

and we consume a similar number, but that is very disproportionate across countries. This article says that American’s buy an average of 64 items of clothes yearly. If everyone consumed at that level we would need to make 512 billion pieces of clothes annually! (8 billion earthlings x 64 items)

I’m trying to land this plane at my level of consumption. That is what feels most important to me personally. I want to purchase used and new items in moderation and well below that 64 items per year. (I’m going to need to do some counting to figure out how far I am from 64.)

Sharing an Amazing Project!

My new friend Anne Warren has been experimenting with unravelling and reknitting sweaters, and lucky for us she’s been documenting it! Click here to read through her handful of newsletters. I am totally fascinated and inspired by this process and I love going on her learning journey with her. This is GREAT CONTENT.

One of Anne’s amazing reknitted sweaters!