Haunted by Unwanted Clothes

S. Mirk / 11 11 2020 / Worn Wear, Culture

Why is it so hard to get rid of used clothes in an ethical way?

With the rest of the world spiraling into chaos, organizing my closet suddenly became a soothing Saturday night activity. It felt good to sort through all the clothes in my life and admit how many I never wear. But when it came time to actually let go of those clothes, I had a problem. Not only was it often emotionally difficult to say goodbye to old clothes, it was also a challenge to find ethical ways to get rid of used clothes. Advertising encourages us to constantly update our look with new outfits, but millions of pounds of clothes wind up chucked in the garbage every year. I drew this comic documenting my journey of trying to find the right home for my large pile of cast-off clothes.

All illustrations by Sarah Mirk.

Visit Worn Wear to learn how to trade in your well-loved Patagonia gear for credit toward purchases in Patagonia retail stores, on WornWear.com and Patagonia.com.

Profil de l’auteur(e)

S. Mirk

Sarah Mirk is a comics journalist and zine-maker who works as a digital producer for The Center for Investigative Reporting and as an editor for The Nib. Her most recent book is Guantanamo Voices: True Accounts from the World’s Most Infamous Prison. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @sarahmirk.