We had a lovely lady visit The Clothes Horse to donate some clothes and have a look.  It turned out that the clothes she had donated were clothes that she had worn when she was a baby, her parents had held on to them for forty years.  The clothes were beautiful.  Little dresses and matching nappy cover ups, knitted cardigans and blankets.  Embroidery details on the dresses and well as beautiful smocking.  They were so very lovely.  You could see that they had been made with love and care.

It made me think quite a lot of things from seeing these beautiful clothes.

One that clothes like these are unique because they are not made like this anymore unless you make them yourself.  Time and effort was put into these clothes.  You can imagine that someone spent time carefully choosing the fabric, perhaps with a theme in mind or an occasion, smoothing out the creases, laying the pattern on the fabric then slowly cutting out the pattern using dressmakers scissors.  Precision taken to make the perfect outfit for a little girl.

Then time taken to choose the right thread and sew the pattern pieces together perhaps creating the dress at home in the evenings or in a small workshop.

The dress then bought and worn for a special occasion.  Then lovingly saved as the little girl grew out of the dress, folded neatly in a box remember with fondness the times their child wore the dress and the memories created in those moments.

Two the clothes were made with good fabrics, cotton with no additional chemicals put on it to make ironing or washing easier.  Fabric that would be gentle on the child’s skin and be kind to the environment.  No need to check the label, just feeling the fabric would tell you that the garment was made with good quality natural fibres.

Three that the clothes were in good condition, even after forty years they could still be worn.  They were made to last.  They were crafted with skill, fabrics chosen for durability and the quality gone into making them was for the purpose that they would last.  That they could be handed down several times and that they would still be in good condition.  

Yes, I am a romantic at heart and reading this may confirm that but I do think that it is worth noting how clothes were made and how clothes generally are made now.  In forty years time I do wonder whether the majority of clothes made now would be looked at fondly.  That you could tell that they were made with care, precision and durability.  I don’t think all clothes made now would be here in forty years time, often clothes are made with haste and fabrics that are not natural.

So seeing such beautiful and cared for clothes coming to The Clothes Horse was and still is a joy.  To be able to look through them, hang them up and see others come to The Clothes Horse look at them lovingly picturing their own children wearing them and choosing to take them home is part of the reason The Clothes Horse does what it does.  Because every garment has been on a journey and has a story to tell.  By keeping them in circulation we can add to the story so more families can make memories with them.

Every Garment Has More Than One Life

Even clothes that have seen better days aren't necessarily finished. Worn knees can be patched. Faded fabric can be overdyed. Outgrown children's clothes can be passed along, altered, or turned into something new entirely. The mending and making traditions that were once commonplace are enjoying a real revival—and with good reason. A repaired garment often carries a story that makes it more valuable, not less.

The goal isn't to keep every item forever—it's simply to ensure that nothing ends its life prematurely when it still has something to give. Your old coat, your barely-worn dress, your husband's jacket he never liked: someone, somewhere, will wear them and value them. The landfill won't.

Its World Book Day coming up soon and I just had the pleasure of meeting Jaimie incredible bookshop owner of Clemo Books in Newquay, Cornwall where The Clothes Horse is also based.  We talked about World Book Day creeping up on us and Jaimie kindly gave us some World Book Day books to take to The Clothes Horse hub as well as some lovely Clemo Bookmarks.

So we have made it and are officially in the run up to Christmas!.

Here at The Clothes Horse, we’re all about making life easier for parents and grandparents while being kind to the planet. Christmas can sometimes feel like a rush of spending, but it really doesn't have to be!

At The Clothes Horse we are passionate about a circular economy and reducing textile waste so we’ve rounded up our five favourite, totally manageable sustainable Christmas tips for having a relaxed, kind to the planet festive season.

At the beginning of September myself and one of our volunteers Fiona had the pleasure of attending an event hosted by Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF) where Her Majesty the Queen was going to be a guest.  Cornwall Community Foundation have supported and funded The Clothes Horse since we began over nine years ago and we are so grateful for them.

We can choose to be sustainable with many parts of Christmas and to consciously think about our gifts as well.

Here are a few sustainable and reusable suggestions for Christmas…

Reuse where you can - it is super exciting I find getting out the Christmas decks that have been tucked away and revisiting old memories, baubles and re decorating your home.