From excess to essential

The overproduction and overconsumption of clothing have substantial environmental impacts. Shifting to smaller wardrobes containing fewer, durable, and frequently used garments is a key strategy in transitioning to a sustainable system. Understanding the size and composition of wardrobes is an essential first step to assess the potential of adopting smaller wardrobes. This study maps the current size of individuals’ wardrobes, the fraction actively used, and the fraction individuals deemed essential to meet their needs. It moreover investigates the characteristics of essential garments and identifies barriers to adopting an essential wardrobe. To examine this, participants' wardrobes were first audited and then reduced to only those items deemed essential to meet their needs for the coming year. The wardrobe audit of 30 individuals in Flanders (Belgium) reveals that participants owned, on average, 169 garments, of which 138 were used in the past year (81%), and 90 were considered essential (53%). Participants’ perceived essential clothing needs varied strongly, ranging from 36 to 275 garments, or alternatively, 28% to 98% of their current wardrobe. Combinability emerged as the most important criterion for selecting essential garments. Both practical (i.e., shortages) and emotional considerations (i.e., loss of joy) were anticipated as obstacles to adopting an essential wardrobe. This study highlights the considerable variation in how individuals meet their clothing needs and what they deem essential. Our findings provide an initial range for the minimum number of garments required to meet clothing needs and offer valuable insights for establishing sufficiency thresholds in apparel consumption.