When it comes to shopping, many of us have become used to finding what we want at the click of a finger and having it delivered if not instantaneously, then within a few working days. How much thought is given to the life of the item? Where it came from and where it’ll eventually end up?
These are questions we should all be asking, says Tara Button, author of A Life Less Throwaway and CEO of BuyMeOnce, a shopping website dedicated to finding the longest-lasting and most sustainable products on the planet.
Every year in the UK, 10 million household items are sent to landfill, with a third of these fit for reuse, according to the Reuse Network. While the quantity of clothing ending up in household bins dropped between 2012 and 2015, the volume purchased over the same period rose by nearly 200,000 tonnes to 1.13 million tonnes, according to a report by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
As the new season approaches, it’s ever more timely to consider the lasting impact of our retail choices.
Incidentally, it was a gift that changed the way Tara thought about the items she owned. Given a baby blue Le Creuset pot – the brand’s cast iron kitchenware has a lifetime guarantee – by her sister on her 30th birthday, Tara describes holding it as a “lightning bolt moment”.
“I was a bit of a shopaholic to be honest and I got myself into quite a lot of credit card debt,” she explains. “I realised that, actually, I didn’t want my life and my home to be full of meaningless stuff and impulse buys. I wanted everything I brought into my life from then on to have longevity.”
She went in search of a website stocking the longest-lasting items on the planet but was surprised to find it lacking. This sparked the journey to her business. Initially a side project, her website went viral in 2016 following an article on the rise of ‘buy me once’ shopping.
“My mother thinks all of this is hilarious, because I’ve always been the impulse shopper of the family,” she laughs. Over a cup of coffee at her office – aptly located in Europe’s largest workspace of sustainable startups – Tara details her best advice on how to go about living a less throwaway life and offers tips for buying items that last.
Tara advocates a buying strategy she calls ‘mindful curation’. “It’s ‘mindful’ because it’s the opposite of mindless,” she explains. “It’s about becoming conscious of everything you bring into your house…almost as if you’re building a force field at your door.”
“It sounds really pretentious but curation is actually the right word, because in the same way that an art curator picks every piece of art for the collection, it also means something when you put it all together.” She recommends taking stock of the items you already have, identifying those that have stood the test of time and learning to buy with that in mind.
“There are some elements of taste that remain the same throughout people’s lives,” explains Tara. “I think you’ll always find that there are certain colours, textures and styles that you’ve liked and so it’s really important to identify what those are.”
She suggests spending 10 minutes looking online at colour palettes, patterns and so on. “You’re building up a picture of what you want your world to look like.” That way, she says, you’ll have a better chance of identifying the items you’re going to love for a long time and avoiding fads and short-term trends.
“I don’t think people realise that most of the damage to the environment is done when the product is made and when it is transported,” says Tara. With that in mind, she advises asking yourself honestly: Do I really need it?
When it comes to buying presents, Tara has a few key pieces of advice. “If that person doesn’t need something, don’t buy them anything,” she says. Instead, she advises gifting an experience. “Take them somewhere. Experiences have the power to make us so much happier than material objects. It’s the foundation on which all our relationships are built.”
“If you think that person does need something, then find them something that will stand the test of time from both a physical and an emotional point of view. That’s the tricky bit because that actually means knowing what that person’s taste is.” She advises avoiding faddy and novelty items and if possible, asking family and friends to compile a wish list of items they genuinely would like.
“Always have a list when you go shopping,” stresses Tara. “If it’s not on the list, you don’t get to buy it.”
“If you see something you like while you’re shopping for other things, take a photograph of it. Go away and think about it because shop environments are incredibly seductive.” Having worked in advertising previously, Tara is savvy to the psychological and emotional tactics used to pull in consumers. You can’t spend your way to happiness and buys are often geared towards our fear of missing out, she warns.
“We’ve lost the art of taking care of our items, which is a real shame,” says Tara. Some simple efforts, such as descaling appliances that use water every three months or using a mattress protector, can greatly increase the lifespan of your possessions. Get to know your local cobbler, tailor and dry cleaner, says Tara. Another great tip is checking out Repair Cafés – free meetings where you’ll learn how to fix broken items.
If you’re on a tight budget but still want to buy things that last, Tara advises first using her website as a resource to find long-lasting brands. Once you’ve done your homework, scour charity shops, auctions and secondhand markets. “If you’ve done the research, and got to know what your taste is, then it becomes easier when something goes on sale or is being given away.” Websites such as eBay, Gumtree and Freecycle are worth keeping an eye on too.
Also, remind yourself of how to save. In our world of instant gratification, saving up for items can seem like a forgotten concept. “People are not used to waiting,” stresses Tara. “If it’s an item that’s going to stand the test of time, it’s worth the investment. If it’s not something you can afford straightaway, then save up. Put a picture of your goal somewhere. Visualise it and that should keep you strong.”
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