Daily Times

Singaporean Sue-Anne Chng used to wear a different outfit on all 15 days of the Lunar New Year, when it is customary to don new clothes to symbolise a fresh start.

But this year she will wear second-hand items exchanged for her old clothes at a store catering to people concerned about the impact of fast fashion on the environment.

Several swapping initiatives, from permanent shops to pop-up events, have appeared in the affluent city-state in a bid to encourage consumers to make the most of what is already in their closets.

The fashion industry is responsible for up to a tenth of global carbon emissions, according to the United Nations’ environment programme.

Clothes cause emissions in a wide variety of ways — from their manufacture to transportation and washing by the consumer.

On a recent trip to her favourite store, The Fashion Pulpit, Chng took along several dresses and a matching blouse and skirt, which a staff member assessed before crediting points to her account.

She spent her points on 17 items, including a yellow and green dress to wear for the first day of the new year as it looked like “an auspicious pineapple”.

The fruit, seen as a symbol of prosperity, is typically given as a gift or displayed during Lunar New Year in Singapore.

‘Insane consumption’

“I’ve always been brought up by my parents to have a new set of clothes every Chinese New Year, and I fell into that behaviour of consumerism,” the 35-year-old told AFP.

“In the past I probably made sure I have 15 days of outfits even if I’m not visiting (relatives), which is too much.”

But now, “as long as the item is new to me, I think it’s good enough,” added Chng, who works for a tech company and is married.