Wear longer: the simplest eco-friendly action

If you were to take away just one lesson about textile sustainability, and only one, it would probably be this: the most eco-friendly action you can take with any garment is simply to wear it longer. This conclusion might seem almost too simple to be true, but it is based on rigorous scientific study, conducted on the complete life cycle of a wool sweater, from the farm to its end of life.

This research, which took seven years of work for researchers from Australia, New Zealand, and Norway, revealed that the use phase of a garment — that is, how often it is worn and how long it is kept — is the most determining factor for its overall environmental footprint, much more so than the initial choice of fiber.

Why is wool naturally advantaged in this equation? Because its natural properties — crease resistance, stain resistance, odor resistance — encourage extended use between washes, and longer preservation over time thanks to its remarkable physical durability.

For you, this logic should directly influence how you present your creations to your customers. Rather than simply selling "a beautiful knit," you are actually selling a piece designed to withstand years of repeated use — an argument that fully justifies a higher price than disposable fast fashion.

This is exactly the message that Makeloo Studio seeks to convey through the philosophy of "slow-made": we do not manufacture products intended for a single season, but pieces designed to become, over time, objects that are mended, cherished, and passed down — rather than objects that are replaced.

Source: International Wool Textile Organisation, Wool Notes, Issue 3 (2024), citing International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment (2020).