In World 120 the global scarcity of fabric prompted people to re-think their notions of clothing ownership and a network of clothing libraries was established all over the world. As the success of the initial libraries grew, the model expanded so that local communities organised and tended to the needs of their citizens, often specialising in specific clothing uses or styles.
Clothing libraries challenge their borrowers to view clothing as much more than fashion. Borrowers are encouraged to record details of how they wore or used the clothes. Through this archiving and sharing of personal experiences, people have a new-found appreciation for the clothes they wear and the life stories of their neighbours.
This flyer from Acton Community Clothing Library highlights its importance as a focal point for community gathering and engagement, as well as its vital role in helping people access clothing for all their needs.
This Exploration was contributed by Melody Vaughan (located in the UK), developed from a World contributed by Nikita S.B, using a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence which allows others to share and adapt the work in any medium and for any purpose, providing that they credit the authors and share their material using the same Creative Commons licence.
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