The affective economy and fast fashion: Materiality, embodied learning and developing a sensibility for sustainable clothing

Many commentators recognise the need to make clothing more sustainable due its deleterious environmental and social ramifications. However, it is challenging change consumer behaviour that drives fast fashion markets because people have complex relationships with clothing. In this study, we illustrate how can be shaped by workshops immerse them in making, mending, modifying garments. Such experiential learning encourage adoption of choices, such as reducing consumption new garments prolonging life already owned items We present findings on a strand work from Arts Humanities Research Council funded S4S: Designing Sensibility for Sustainable Clothing project, which explored affective economy around clothing, considered emotive affects operate conduit self-sustain particular practices. Our significant contribution brings political analysis firmly into debate about merging literatures affect, through exploration novel longitudinal (9-months) qualitative data set. At start participants generally thought clothes being low-cost (and therefore disposable) items. The workshops, contrast, presented materials they are made precious, fluid – process continual possibility. For pro-environmental behavioural change, find immersion materiality mobilised processes, enabling potentially transformative encounters. Further, found group environments do than simply teach approved normative values behaviours. Pro-environmental initiatives provide space create situate their own knowledges, affect mobilised, activated supported appropriate cultural milieu.