The most sustainable fashion choice? Wear your clothes again, says designer Rina Dhaka

The future of sustainable fashion lies not in buying more "green" clothing but in wearing existing clothes longer, according to veteran fashion designer Rina Dhaka, who believes consumers have as much responsibility for the industry's environmental footprint as brands.

Speaking at OPEN Green Shift, Dhaka argued that many principles now celebrated under the circular economy—from upcycling to recycling and repair—have long been embedded in Indian households and traditional craftsmanship. "We called it katran," she recalled, referring to the leftover fabric generated during garment production.

Instead of treating those remnants as waste, designers and craftsmen transformed them into patchwork, quilting, embroidery and decorative details. What began as a practical way to reduce material loss eventually became a distinctive design language.

"The leftovers created the design which made it unique," she said, recalling how discarded sequins and fabric scraps often found a second life in new collections.

Dhaka said sustainability was once driven by necessity rather than branding.

Factories and workshops, she noted, learned to maximise every piece of fabric because reducing waste also lowered costs and improved efficiency. Circularity, in that sense, was a natural outcome of good craftsmanship long before the fashion industry began using terms such as upcycling and recycling.

She contrasted those practices with today's fast-fashion culture, where rapid trend cycles encourage excessive consumption and frequent wardrobe changes.

While innovation and technology continue to reshape fashion, Dhaka cautioned against confusing novelty with sustainability.

"Our mothers and grandmothers never threw away sarees," she said, describing how garments were repeatedly repurposed into quilts, cushion covers and household textiles. "It was forever the recycling."

Perhaps her most striking message, however, was directed at consumers rather than designers.

Dhaka argued that repeating outfits should be viewed as a mark of responsibility rather than a fashion faux pas.

"The 'Peter repeater' is the right guy in today's life," she said, observing that men have traditionally reworn suits and shirts for years without hesitation, while women often feel social pressure to avoid being seen in the same outfit twice.

She pointed to public figures such as Catherine, Princess of Wales, whose repeated outfits frequently attract media attention, saying such examples should help normalise outfit repetition instead of making it an exception. Rewearing garments, she argued, is one of the simplest ways to reduce fashion's environmental impact.

Dhaka also urged consumers to rethink everyday habits beyond shopping.

Washing clothes less frequently, when appropriate, can extend the life of garments while reducing water and energy consumption, she said. Small behavioural changes, combined with repairing and reusing clothing, can collectively make a significant difference.

Looking back at decades in fashion, Dhaka said the industry's biggest sustainability lesson may not come from new technologies but from rediscovering practices that earlier generations considered ordinary.

In her view, the circular economy does not begin in the factory. It begins in the wardrobe, where choosing to repair, reuse and repeat clothes can be one of the most meaningful contributions consumers make towards a more sustainable future.