It is a common sight in most European counties to see charity shops selling secondhand clothes, shoes, trinkets, and bric-a-brac. People from different age groups often use these shops and buy clothes and other things from them.
It is also common to see slogans like “shop pre-loved — it doesn’t cost the earth,” “declutter, donate, do good,” and “drop your pre-loved clothes in store.”
Such sentiments have typically not been present in Egypt, especially among the older generations for whom it is important to buy new items. But perhaps starting online stores for pre-loved clothes or holding special events to spread the idea of making clothes last longer by buying pre-used ones could slowly change attitudes.
This is one of the messages that the “Make It Last” event aimed to spread, which promotes the idea that “the most sustainable garment is already in your wardrobe” and “loved clothes last”.
The event was a celebration of sustainable fashion and garment maintenance, Israa, the organiser of the one-day event held at the Goethe Institut in Cairo, put it.
“The idea of the event is to inform people that sustainable fashion is not only a matter of recycling or thrift but is also related to mending what you already have. The event offers a whole-day open mending circle where attendees are welcome to bring clothing items for repair or alteration. It also features workshops on mending techniques,” Israa explained.
Another idea that the event aimed to spread is swapping your pre-loved clothes with re-loved ones, as Marwa Al-Dessouki, one of the founders of CRCL, who had a booth in the event, said.
CRCL is an abbreviation of the word “circle” and an indication that clothes should circulate from one user to another, Al-Dessouki explained. It is community space and online shop that started this year by taking part in bazaars and social events or placing pop-ups in different places.
“Part of our mission is to shift the mindset of the consumer to buying second-hand or sustainable items and to avoid fast fashion or fast consumption, as much as possible of course. That is why we took part in ‘Make it Last,’ a community type event that is focused on promoting sustainable fashion,” she said.
Their first activity was taking part in a week-end swap party in Sheikh Zayed City in February at which people brought their own pieces and exchanged them for new ones. It was organised in cooperation with a food and beverage marketing agency that served food and in collaboration with a group of friends who played music to make the experience complete.
“I did not expect such wide participation, which is an indication that people are shifting their mindset towards sustainability or at least that they are interested or curious. People may be gradually accepting buying used clothes,” she added.
Others who are interested in rescuing clothes or loving their existing ones through thoughtful repairs also took part in “Make it Last.” Alma, Monica, and Mariam, all the organisers of online marketplaces, shared the same table at the event where they displayed some of the clothes they sell online, all made from older clothes or recycled materials.
“I have found that the younger generations are more accepting of the idea than the older generations. It is about the community rather than the principle itself. There are loads of clothes around already, enough for all of us. We simply need to make optimum use of them,” Mariam said.
Mariam was also taking part in the all-day open mending circle, which offers a space for anyone who wants to bring along a pre-loved piece, sit on a bean bag, and learn how to mend, repair, alter, or embroider it. It also created a space for participants to communicate and interact.
The open-mending workshops are more specialised versions of this idea, taking the form of lessons on how to visibly mend your pre-loved pieces to make them last longer.
“The workshops are based on the principle of mend and be proud — how to make visible mending techniques show that this is a mendable piece,” explained Alma after showing the participants some of the mending techniques she uses, including sashiko, a traditional Japanese visible mending pattern.
The event also provided an opportunity for participants to meet a personal stylist who was able to advise on the best styles for each person.
“We are celebrating fashion that endures by maintaining pieces that reflect one’s true style. That will help people to keep clothes for as long as possible and pass them on to the right person,” said Farah from SnailsEgypt, a fashion marketplace for selling and buying pre-loved, vintage, and new clothes using the slogan “from one closet to another”.
Another interesting space was one in which participants were encouraged to write a love letter to a garment and allow people to reflect on their own clothes.
“We focus on what piece or pieces we are attached to, and ask whether we have memories from these, whether ours or because of a loved one. This is one way of getting rid of consumerism and becoming attached to the pieces we have. That encourages us to mend or transform them in a way that will help us keep them longer — in other words, to make them last,” explained Israa.
Ghada, a middle-aged woman who was interested in the event, found the idea of mending one’s clothes entirely unacceptable, however. Nevertheless, she noted that Egyptians have always wanted to make their clothes last as long as possible in their own way.
She said that she gives her unwanted clothes to a younger relative or to people that are less able to buy new clothes.
“I even try to find a use for worn-out or old clothes, like transforming them into small tablecloths or kitchen towels, for instance. And I am not the only one doing this,” she said.
Umm Mohamed, a porter in one of the buildings close to the venue, agreed with Ghada that Egyptians make their clothes last for as long as possible.
“I always buy used clothes for my family from Wekalet Al-Balah,” she said. However, she refrains from telling her neighbours and friends as she thinks that it is still socially unacceptable to buy used clothes.
Wekalet Al-Balah was a place to sell textiles until 25 years ago when the shops shifted to selling used clothes, showing that the habit has been growing since then.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 24 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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