The Circular Economy: What Gives?
- Words by Peppermint
If you’ve never heard of ‘circular fashion’ then brace yourself – it’s one of those terms you’ll soon hear bandied around a lot. Happily, Peppermint’s Marketing and Partnerships Manager Roxane was part of the first ever Australian Circular Fashion Conference (ACFC) held recently in Sydney – and here’s what she learned about the hottest term in the (sustainable) town:
So, what actually is circular fashion?
Circular fashion is the antidote to ‘linear fashion’. Think of the linear fashion model as a straight line: you buy something, you wear it and you throw it out. Because we can now buy clothes so cheaply, we’re buying more. Australians are the second highest textile consumers in the world. We each buy an average of 27 kilograms of clothing every year, compared to the worldwide average of 13 kilograms. But what happens to all those clothes? Are we about to see a building boom in gargantuan wardrobes? Probably not, because clothing waste is the fastest-growing household waste in Australia. Dean Jones from Glam Corner, and a speaker at the ACFC, says that collectively, 6000kg of clothes get thrown out every 10 minutes in Australia.
That’s a massive problem because, well, hello global warming. Clothes that are thrown into landfill emit gases while they are breaking down. Those gases are a potent contributor to the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. Something clearly has to change.
The model of ‘circular fashion’ aims to avoid landfill waste by keeping our clothing in a constant cycle of movement. This means finding ways to reuse our clothes again: by repurposing them so they have a completely different look or use; or by breaking the clothes down into virgin fibres that be turned into new clothes again.
Sounds cool. But what can I do?
Making a success of circular fashion requires a bit of work from all of us, but it shouldn’t be too tough to play your part. Here are some quick n’easy things you can do to be part of the new economy:
Don’t wash your clothes. No, we’re not suggesting you walk around stinky and stained, but the wear and tear of washing shortens the lifespan of clothes (quite asides from all the energy and water required in the process). Instead, ask yourself whether spot cleaning, sunshine bathing (using ultra-violet light to kill smelly bacteria) or turning clothes inside out will work instead of throwing things in the washing machine.
Rent clothes instead of buying. Rental services such as Glam Corner, Her Wardrobe, The Birdcage Stylist, Dressed Up, Something Borrowed, Your Closet and My Stylish Wardrobe offer designer dresses for special occasions that you might otherwise only wear once.
Look for items that offer lifetime guarantees. The Buy Me Once website finds clothes and other items around the globe that offer a lifetime guarantee promise.
Share what you know. Craig Reucassel, ABC journalist from War on Waste, said at the ACFC that he wants to read reviews that tell him about the quality of an item. Go online and share reviews about your favourite items that have stood the test of time.
Take back. Look for brands that will take their clothes back when you’re sick of them. Patagonia and H&M offer ‘take back’ schemes and recycle or re-sell your pre-loved items. The above image is of a beautiful, Tasmania-made Seljak blanket that’s created from reclaimed offcuts in the oldest mill in Australia, and can be sent back to re-enter the manufacturing cycle at the end of its natural lifetime – an example of the circular economy at its very best!
Look at labels. The technology to turn garments back into thread is still in its infancy, and at the moment there’s not the commercial ability to turn blended thread into virgin thread. So if you want your clothes to have a chance at a second life, avoid buying blended fabrics.
Give. Take things to your local charity stores. Even when they can’t sell your stuff, they have supply chains that mean your old clothes won’t end up in landfill.
Swap or sell. Look for ways to recycle, either through a clothes swap, eBay or consignment shop, and let others wear the things you no longer want.
See, not too difficult! Just a few simple changes can make a massive difference – and understanding what the circular economy is means you’re pretty much halfway there already… Good luck!
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TOGETHER WE STITCH RETURNS! 🪡✨
Ditch the dishes. Clear your cutting table. Pop the kettle on. Because Together We Stitch is back from 15 to 22 March for seven joy-filled days of sewing, learning and reveling in the joy of shared community, no matter where you are in the world!
Hosted by Megan from @SewAndTell.Co, this global online sewing event brings thousands of makers together for a week of practical know-how, confidence boosts and those “why didn’t I know this sooner?!” moments.
This year’s line-up is packed with masterclasses and practical inspiration, like:
🪡 Simple knit finishing tricks to make your garments look store-bought by @SewAndTell.Co’s Megan Linley
🪡 Troubleshooting your sewing machine by Jenni Miller from @LetsGetSewingNow
🪡 Hands-on pattern adjustments for sway back from @GinaReneeDesigns
🪡 An interview with Brandon Hayden from @HappilyDressed about building a garment around the fabric you love
🪡 Iron Care 101 by @MicheleMuska
🪡 Kate Boyle from @MindMovementHealth shares posture tips and exercises to help prevent sewing aches and pains
🪡 An easy jeans-to-skirt upcycle project from @LaCreativeMama’s Victoria Martinez Azaro
🪡 DIY custom fabrics and creative craft-room upgrades by Stephanie Young from @So_Stephanie_Says
🪡 Plus choosing prints with intention, making your dream wardrobe a reality, and meeting the creator of Project & Cut, Clinton Blackmore to talk all things PDF pattern future
Together We Stitch is all about expert-led sessions, creative demos, practical tips you can take straight to your sewing table, and a community that celebrates every win along the way. Join live or catch the replays when it suits you.
Head to togetherwestitch.com or hit the link in bio to save your seat. 🪡
#TogetherWeStitch #SewingExpo #SewingInspo #MeMade #SewingCommunity #SewistsOfInstagram
Coffee begins long before your morning cuppa! ☕️
2026 has been declared the International Year of the Woman Farmer, led by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the @UnitedNations. It’s a global spotlight with a practical purpose: to recognise women’s indispensable roles across agrifood systems, and to push for the changes that still haven’t arrived evenly, like equal access to land, finance, training, technology and decision-making.
Into that bigger picture steps Elizabeth Duna, a coffee farmer from Papua New Guinea and the chairwoman of the Keto-Tapasi Progress Association. Elizabeth is also the only female chairperson across the @FairtradeANZ cooperative network in the Pacific, overseeing farmers across the association and helping ensure Fairtrade standards are met.
We had the privilege of chatting to Elizabeth (just in time for International Woman’s Day this Sunday, too!) about what’s been growing and changing within her cooperative, what ‘fair trade’ means to her, and the hopes that manifest in a ‘simple’ bag of coffee beans.
Link in bio ☕️
#FairTrade #FairTradeCoffee #InternationalWomensDay
DIFFICULT ✊🏻✊🏽✊🏿
The collab we needed for International Women`s Day… and every day!
From @DangerousFemales:
"Hands up if you’ve ever been called difficult behind your back, to your face, or by an Australian Prime Minister during a Q&A?
DIFFICULT by Grace Tame, in her own handwriting is… one word: ICONIC!
100% of profits from our tees are donated, 100% of the time. Funds from this @TamePunk tee will go to @BerylWomen_inc, a First Nations led women’s refuge in the ACT.
Kinda ironic, don’t ya think?
Supporting an org in the parliament state with words from a politician for Australia’s longest running and underfunded women’s refuge.
Thank you @TamePunk for being difficult." 🫶🙌
Link in bio to get behind this tee!
#InternationalWomensDay #DangerousFemales #GraceTame #Difficult
NEW PATTERN ALERT 🎉
She’s giving comfort, she’s giving style, she’s giving palate-cleansing sewing. There’s nothing quite like an easy breezy dress that’s not only a dream to wear but a delight to sew, and the NEW Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress delivers!
Cute, classic and cool with a touch of retro: the Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with sleek lines and elegant curves. Bust darts are in play for shaping and spacious pockets to hold all your treasures. Top-stitching detail around the neck and armholes invites creative contrast threads and the keyhole loop closure at the back neck begs for a feature button (or a tie closure!).
Myrtle cuts above the knee with options to customise the length. Don’t think she’s reserved for hot weather either: try a heavier-weight fabric to turn your Myrtle into a pinafore-style garment for layering.
For our fabrics we chose two from @Karmme_Apparel – the bold Rottnest Stripes in a lightweight, soft-drape cotton, and the quality linen in the handpainted Mexico Collection. Karmme also stocks darling tassels so we popped a hot pink one on as a closure!
The love child of Imby Langenbach, Karmme Apparel (fittingly pronounced ‘calm’), is a haven of boho apparel sewing patterns alongside complementary fabrics steeped in tradition with modern iterations from Jaipur, India. Hand block-printed and digitally printed soft cottons produced by Indian artisans showcase rich colours and designs from Imby’s travels, perfect for showing off me-made masterpieces.
Our dresses were superbly stitched by our sewing manager @Laura_The_Maker, and modelled magnificently by Shannon @Pins_And_Tonic and Serah @SerahSews. And that perfect pink wall was courtesy of the good folk at @ShareTheDignityAustralia, an organisation that aims to bring dignity to women, girls and those who menstruate who are experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and period poverty.
Get making the Myrtle – the only question is, can you stop at just one?
Link in bio 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Sewist: @Laura_The_Maker
Patternmaker: @GarmentaApparel
Models: @SerahSews and @Pins_And_Tonic
Fabric: @Karmme_Apparel
#PeppermintMyrtleShiftDress #PeppermintPatterns
Connection 🫶🏻
Such great ideas from @GrowWithColby:
“A common theme I noticed in 2025:
Everyone is craving more connection.
Use these friend nights to make it happen in 2026.
Send this to the people you want to do these with.”
#Connection #Friends #Community
No bull - these pants are the cat`s (or cow`s) pyjamas...
Jenny from @RhubarbSundays:
And they are done! My @PeppermintMagazine #PeppermintFernPleatedPants made using a gorgeous fabric from @IndyBindyFabrics! I absolutely love this fabric! It’s soft and drapes beautifully. And the best thing about it is that, from a distance, it looks like an abstract print and then you look closer and theres a curious bull looking right at you. 🤣🤣 🐄 🐮
Really happy with the end product. They are very comfy! I didn’t make many changes to the pattern. Just a touch more room in the rise and a little bit off the waist. I’ll post some closeups of the details tomorrow when I actually take them off. 🤣 "
Grab the pattern from the link in bio!
#PeppermintPatterns #IMakeMyOwnClothes #ClothesThatFeelLikePyjamas #SewersGonnaSew
