It was December 2012, and I was staying with my family in Malaysia. My auntie was sewing up my cousin’s old underwear for my grandmother to wear, when she complimented my top and asked how much it cost. It was from Miss Selfridge, a polyester or viscose kimono-style thing, costing £36. She tutted at the price and continued sewing. I should add that my family could absolutely afford new underwear; it was just the default to repair something broken rather than replace it with something new.
I was quietly hit with guilt. I knew I wouldn’t wear this top when I got home – I’d probably give it to a charity shop within a couple of months. I needed to start giving my wardrobe more love. Auntie did more than sew underwear that day – she sowed the seed of repairing and reusing, ready to be nurtured over the next few years.
With perfect zero-waste bloggers showing off a year’s waste in a Kilner jar, I thought I’d share my week in the life of a low-waste, but certainly not zero-waste (yet), vegan mum trying to do her bit – including a few failures.