BORO: Reimagined

Our goal with Boro is to reframe the way we think about consumption of clothing, and the preservation of garments. With fast-fashion making a not-so-positive mark on the textiles industry, we ask what small steps can we individually make to decrease the amount of clothing going to landfills?

In Japan, during the 18th & 19th century, Boro was used by the working class to preserve garments, due to the fact that cotton was not readily available. By taking scrap fabrics and patching damaged garments through Sashiko, clothing was given another life. Sashiko is a decorative reinforcement stitching, literally translated as “little stabs.” Mended pieces would be passed down from one another, generation to generation. A beautiful concept, and true example of recycling.

As we’ve shifted from a society that made garments at home, to having thousands of styles readily available to purchase in stores, we’ve become disconnected to the skill, art, and true cost of clothing production.

So we ask ourselves, can we change the way we see and value our clothing, for the future? Aging garments shouldn’t be viewed as a negative, but as testaments of well-loved pieces. Mending our favorite jackets, pants, or bags, rather than tossing and replacing it, only adds more individuality and character, on top of lessening our carbon footprint.

Next time you feel ready to add new garments to your closet, see what new life you can give those you already own. And if you decide to buy new pieces, it’s okay! Sometimes we all need a clean slate, but if we think of purchases as investments, it seems to be a little easier.

Spend a little more money on quality, buy local if possible, and get more out of it. We’ll find more admiration in the items we spend a little more on, and in turn, we’ll do more to keep them around.