Consider cost per wear

How many of us have purchased garments in the past that are still sitting in our closet with tags on? I am also guilty of that. Most of us are. When purchasing a new garment, it is very important to consider cost per wear. The application of this approach is eye-opening. Here are some important tips to think about:

What is the total cost of the item?
How often will I wear it?
How much will care for the item cost (cost of the dry cleaning vs. washing)?
What can I wear this item with?
How versatile is the item? Can I take it with me travelling, dress casual and then dress up for an event?

Cheap, unworn or hardly worn garments will over time become expensive "dead" inventory in your closet without giving you any value. This situation often results from impulse purchases and the item will often end-up being disposed and transported to the land fields of developing world countries. See our "Get to know your closet" article to read what you can do to prevent this.

Let's take a look at some real examples that we all can relate to (for simplicity I am not calculating the cost of washing):

Example #1: $20 unworn shirt purchased one year ago

The shirt is too tight, uncomfortable to wear and fabric is not breathable. The item is sitting in your closet still with tags on or worn only once. Cost per wear: $20. The cost per wear will remain static if the shirt will continue sitting in your closet unworn.

Note: If you wore this shirt only once and it requires dry cleaning, then the cost with the dry cleaning surpasses the cost of the item per wear. For example: Shirt worn once and dry-cleaned: $20 cost + $15 dry cleaning = $35 total cost per wear

Example #2: $100 linen shirt worn twice per week purchased one year ago

Beautiful flowing fit, washable fabric that you are able to wear on its own or layering as a jacket with tank tops, vests and scarves. The item gives you flexibility to create new looks every time due to its versatility. Cost per wear: 52 weeks x 2 times per week = 104 times per year, $100 cost / 104 times per year = $0.96 (in a single year, which will go further down over time)

The cost per wear comes down to pennies with time passing and with every wear. The quality linen garment will last for years to come and will become one of your favorite items to wear.

Conclusion:

Consider the cost per wear as an important fact when you purchase your garments. Buying long lasting items that fit well, are made from sustainable earth-friendly materials that keep the "fast fashion" waste from land fields and are incredibly cost effective in the long term, is an important buying decision to consider, especially if we want to play our part towards sustainable future.

When it comes to garments, we get what we pay for!