This morning, as I loaded the washing machine, I found myself reflecting on just how much laundry I do and why we own so many different types of clothes. Patrick Grant, in his book Less, highlights that the average person today owns nearly five times as many clothes as people did 50 years ago. Even more alarming is that 100 billion garments are produced globally each year, many from oil-based fabrics, with 30% never even being sold. And every second, the equivalent of a bin lorry full of clothing is either dumped in landfills or burned. Despite overflowing wardrobes, we keep buying more. Why?

When I was growing up, clothes were special. Many of us came from households where money was tight, so the clothes we had were cherished and made to last. I remember my mum buying my sister and me a dress for Whitsuntide, which we wore for church events, but it wasn’t just for that one day—it became a dress for Sundays, weddings, parties, and any other occasion that called for something nice. When it no longer fit, my granny would let it out or adjust the hem, and when it had truly worn down, she’d turn it into clothes for our dolls. We didn’t have many clothes, but we valued them. They were part of our lives, and we took care of them. They weren’t just products—they represented people’s work, time, and craftsmanship.

Today, I find myself constantly washing clothes, even though most of them don’t really need it. Sure, I check for stains or odours, but as adults, how often do we truly soil our clothes? According to Good Housekeeping, many of us wash clothes after a certain number of wears, not because they’re dirty, but because of an underlying fear of being judged. That’s quite surprising, especially in an age when we’re trying to be more environmentally conscious. The truth is, over-washing our clothes is harmful to the planet. Each wash cycle consumes energy and water, while also releasing microplastics into the environment.

One load of laundry can release up to 700,000 microfibres from synthetic fabrics, which then flow into our water systems, eventually reaching the oceans and being ingested by marine life.

That’s why I started Nature's Gleam. I wanted to take action, even if on a small scale, by offering eco-friendly, sustainable products. I’m not here to preach, but I do believe it’s time we rethink our choices, not just for ourselves, but for our children, their children, and all the families we’ll leave behind one day. The way we live now will affect the planet we pass on to future generations. We have a responsibility to consider the long-term impact of what we buy and how we use it.

And it's not just about the environment; it’s also about saving money in these tough times.

The cost of living is rising, and constantly buying new clothes or running the washing machine unnecessarily can strain already tight budgets.

By wearing our clothes more and washing them less frequently, we can cut back on our energy and water bills, and reduce wear and tear on the clothes themselves, helping them last longer. It’s a simple step that saves both money and resources.

At Nature’s Gleam, I aim to help people make more thoughtful, sustainable choices without sacrificing style or comfort. We source products that are eco-conscious and made to last because it’s about finding balance—living well today while preserving a better future for tomorrow.

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