Amsterdam campaign promotes clothing repairs and swaps

The city has launched the third edition of Wear For Life, a six-week campaign encouraging residents to keep and use their clothes for longer.

Organised alongside the Oba public library and sustainability platform COSH!, the initiative runs from 1 September to 12 October across more than 120 locations.

The effort focuses on reducing textile waste and carbon emissions. According to organisers, one in five items in Dutch wardrobes is never worn, while clothing and household textile production accounts for around 176 kilotons of CO2 emissions for Amsterdam every year.

Research by the municipality suggests that owning fewer garments and using them longer could lower the city textile footprint by up to 72%.

Workshops and clothing exchanges

Free sewing workshops are taking place across various Oba library branches, including Oba Javaplein in Oost, offering guided access to sewing machines on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Residents can use the sessions to repair or alter their own garments.

The programme also includes curated walking routes to second-hand shops and tailors, as well as specialised events across the city.

Studio Koekoek on Weesperstraat is holding embroidery and visible mending workshops throughout September and early October, while VEGA-LIFE on Nieuwe Hoogstraat will host a vegan clothing swap and repair session on 12 September.

Source: Oost Online