“One thing with fast fashion is it tends to be poor quality, so you churn through it a lot quicker. I wanted to eliminate that option for me because one, it's very tempting and I'm an impulsive buyer, and two, it's contributing to this huge waste issue that we have in the UK.

So I made the decision this year to buy ethical clothing only. I would like to be able to do that with everything else, but I'm the sort of person where I've just got to take one step at a time. And it was actually a lot easier than what I thought it would be.

But at the same time, you've got to be careful. I've read that op shops are contributing to fast fashion now, because people buy things and then give them to op shops, so there’s still that churn. One aspect of it is buying ethically and the other aspect is mindful buying.

I used to buy things because they had a slightly different tailored seam. Whereas now I’m learning to make do with my existing wardrobe and investing into pieces that have longevity. I look at my wardrobe now and this year, there's only two new items in it, which is a big deal for me.

When you stop and utilise your existing wardrobe, it makes you appreciate what you already have. And you create outfits you didn't even think that you had. This all sounds superficial, but I think it's a good conversation point. Even though it might not seem like much, I know that it’ll have an impact because every step that you make towards reducing waste counts.

I’ve realised how much time I spent at the shops, money I invested into fashion, and even time I spent online scrolling to find things. It's just given me more capacity for other things and there’s been a clear shift in my priorities this year.

The thing with fashion is that there's always going to be trends. If you want to keep up with the trends, you're going to be spending money and constantly having to get new things. I think it's helped me understand my style and that I'm comfortable with it and don't need to be jumping on the bandwagon every time a new thing comes out. This is also a really good exercise to do because it helps you become aware of ethical brands and I’m able to share that knowledge with others.”