There's history in that old pair of cargo pants

The Advertiser

05-06-2025

This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to theechidna.com.au
The small hole on the seam gave pause. I realised this faithful pair of cargo pants had lasted longer than World War II. Their roomy pockets carried the daily essentials. Phone, wallet, glasses, notebook and pen were all accommodated. Even the tiny drone for sneaky aerial snapshots.
I've lived in them for years, through overseas adventures and chores in the garden, through fire and flood. And, once that hole is patched, I'll live in them for a few more. They're the polar opposite of fast fashion. Indeed, they're not fashionable at all. But for practicality and durability, they can't be beaten.
They weren't cheap but their longevity confirms the old adage that you get what you pay for. They also point to the false economy that is fast fashion.
Clothing waste is a global issue. In Australia alone, we produce about 300,000 tonnes of it each year. Some is recycled, some is exported but a lot of it ends up in landfill.
The fashion industry is responsible for about 10 per cent of the microplastics which end up in our oceans. It accounts for about 20 per cent of the world's wastewater. Earth.org estimates the water required to make one T-shirt in enough to slake one person's thirst for 900 days.
In Chile's Atacama Desert, the mountain of discarded clothing is so huge, it's visible from space. A lot of it comes from the US, where it's estimated a garment is worn only seven to 10 times on average before it's discarded. That's a reduction in, say, a shirt's lifespan of 35 per cent in 15 years.
Stumbling on this information reminded me of a face-palm moment in the newsroom some years ago.
A young reporter was agonising over what to wear to an upcoming social event.
"Didn't you buy a new dress a couple of weeks ago?" I asked her.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly wear that," she replied. "I've already socialled it." A handful of Instagram likes and the frock was made redundant.
A riffle through my wardrobe revealed a snapshot of recent history. Gone were the pre-COVID business shirts and ties, the suits and the shiny shoes - thanks to working from home, the corporate armour is now superfluous. In their place, a colourful collection of Hawaiian shirts, shorts and one linen suit bought on a whim from a tailor in Thailand for summer. Sweaters and coats for winter.
And cargo pants.
Apart from the Hawaiian shirts, which get a couple of workouts a year in Asia, and a toasty warm, safety yellow parka bought for me as a present, every item is getting on and yet I feel no compulsion to replace them.
Not even the same type of cargo pants as the old trusties, recently offered at a discount, could sway me. Vowing instead to patch the hole, I realised I've embraced slow fashion. And that's liberating.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you have a favourite item of clothing you've worn for years? Is quality more important than price? As you've grown older, have you changed your clothes burying habits? Email us: [e-mail]
SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- A man has been taken into custody as part of an investigation into the whereabouts of missing teenager Pheobe Bishop, almost three weeks after her "suspicious" disappearance.
- Independent Nicolette Boele has claimed the last remaining seat of the federal election after winning a closely fought recount for the Sydney electorate of Bradfield.
- A shaky public spending handover has stalled Australia's post-COVID-19 recovery, with economic growth slowing to 0.2 per cent in the first three months of the year.
THEY SAID IT: "Buy less. Choose well. Make it last. Quality, not quantity. Everybody's buying far too many clothes." - Vivienne Westwood
YOU SAID IT: The best winter escape, wrote John, is a pile of good books.
Grant has some kind words: "I don't know if you're writing the Great Australian Novel but your beautiful and evocative account of the joys of winter indicates you should! Your respectful use of our language is appreciated, and should be shared on a broader canvas."
Jan is reading Flinders by Grantlee Kieza, about the exploits of Matthew Flinders. She, too, has noticed winter changing: "Winter is rapidly becoming all too brief as the years go by. I love the reprieve from the stifling, relentless and parching heat of summer and the (albeit diminishing) promise of snow in the mountains not too far away. In 2024, we had four weeks of barely usable snow cover instead of the traditional four months of a decade or more ago."
Ancient Rome has Ros captivated. Like John, she is engrossed in a Tom Holland history, Rubicon, about the decline of the Roman republic: "It is chilling indeed to see the clear parallels between the dying days of the Roman Republic and what is happening in a contemporary Republic with worldwide influence and impact."
Ian reads all year round, for at least an hour a day. "At the moment, I'm halfway through Mawson by Peter FitzSimons. A beautifully written and rollicking yarn, it is best appreciated being read in the middle of a Canberra winter with the heating turned off and all the windows open."
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to theechidna.com.au
The small hole on the seam gave pause. I realised this faithful pair of cargo pants had lasted longer than World War II. Their roomy pockets carried the daily essentials. Phone, wallet, glasses, notebook and pen were all accommodated. Even the tiny drone for sneaky aerial snapshots.
I've lived in them for years, through overseas adventures and chores in the garden, through fire and flood. And, once that hole is patched, I'll live in them for a few more. They're the polar opposite of fast fashion. Indeed, they're not fashionable at all. But for practicality and durability, they can't be beaten.
They weren't cheap but their longevity confirms the old adage that you get what you pay for. They also point to the false economy that is fast fashion.
Clothing waste is a global issue. In Australia alone, we produce about 300,000 tonnes of it each year. Some is recycled, some is exported but a lot of it ends up in landfill.
The fashion industry is responsible for about 10 per cent of the microplastics which end up in our oceans. It accounts for about 20 per cent of the world's wastewater. Earth.org estimates the water required to make one T-shirt in enough to slake one person's thirst for 900 days.
In Chile's Atacama Desert, the mountain of discarded clothing is so huge, it's visible from space. A lot of it comes from the US, where it's estimated a garment is worn only seven to 10 times on average before it's discarded. That's a reduction in, say, a shirt's lifespan of 35 per cent in 15 years.
Stumbling on this information reminded me of a face-palm moment in the newsroom some years ago.
A young reporter was agonising over what to wear to an upcoming social event.
"Didn't you buy a new dress a couple of weeks ago?" I asked her.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly wear that," she replied. "I've already socialled it." A handful of Instagram likes and the frock was made redundant.
A riffle through my wardrobe revealed a snapshot of recent history. Gone were the pre-COVID business shirts and ties, the suits and the shiny shoes - thanks to working from home, the corporate armour is now superfluous. In their place, a colourful collection of Hawaiian shirts, shorts and one linen suit bought on a whim from a tailor in Thailand for summer. Sweaters and coats for winter.
And cargo pants.
Apart from the Hawaiian shirts, which get a couple of workouts a year in Asia, and a toasty warm, safety yellow parka bought for me as a present, every item is getting on and yet I feel no compulsion to replace them.
Not even the same type of cargo pants as the old trusties, recently offered at a discount, could sway me. Vowing instead to patch the hole, I realised I've embraced slow fashion. And that's liberating.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you have a favourite item of clothing you've worn for years? Is quality more important than price? As you've grown older, have you changed your clothes burying habits? Email us: [e-mail]
SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- A man has been taken into custody as part of an investigation into the whereabouts of missing teenager Pheobe Bishop, almost three weeks after her "suspicious" disappearance.
- Independent Nicolette Boele has claimed the last remaining seat of the federal election after winning a closely fought recount for the Sydney electorate of Bradfield.
- A shaky public spending handover has stalled Australia's post-COVID-19 recovery, with economic growth slowing to 0.2 per cent in the first three months of the year.
THEY SAID IT: "Buy less. Choose well. Make it last. Quality, not quantity. Everybody's buying far too many clothes." - Vivienne Westwood
YOU SAID IT: The best winter escape, wrote John, is a pile of good books.
Grant has some kind words: "I don't know if you're writing the Great Australian Novel but your beautiful and evocative account of the joys of winter indicates you should! Your respectful use of our language is appreciated, and should be shared on a broader canvas."
Jan is reading Flinders by Grantlee Kieza, about the exploits of Matthew Flinders. She, too, has noticed winter changing: "Winter is rapidly becoming all too brief as the years go by. I love the reprieve from the stifling, relentless and parching heat of summer and the (albeit diminishing) promise of snow in the mountains not too far away. In 2024, we had four weeks of barely usable snow cover instead of the traditional four months of a decade or more ago."
Ancient Rome has Ros captivated. Like John, she is engrossed in a Tom Holland history, Rubicon, about the decline of the Roman republic: "It is chilling indeed to see the clear parallels between the dying days of the Roman Republic and what is happening in a contemporary Republic with worldwide influence and impact."
Ian reads all year round, for at least an hour a day. "At the moment, I'm halfway through Mawson by Peter FitzSimons. A beautifully written and rollicking yarn, it is best appreciated being read in the middle of a Canberra winter with the heating turned off and all the windows open."
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to theechidna.com.au
The small hole on the seam gave pause. I realised this faithful pair of cargo pants had lasted longer than World War II. Their roomy pockets carried the daily essentials. Phone, wallet, glasses, notebook and pen were all accommodated. Even the tiny drone for sneaky aerial snapshots.
I've lived in them for years, through overseas adventures and chores in the garden, through fire and flood. And, once that hole is patched, I'll live in them for a few more. They're the polar opposite of fast fashion. Indeed, they're not fashionable at all. But for practicality and durability, they can't be beaten.
They weren't cheap but their longevity confirms the old adage that you get what you pay for. They also point to the false economy that is fast fashion.
Clothing waste is a global issue. In Australia alone, we produce about 300,000 tonnes of it each year. Some is recycled, some is exported but a lot of it ends up in landfill.
The fashion industry is responsible for about 10 per cent of the microplastics which end up in our oceans. It accounts for about 20 per cent of the world's wastewater. Earth.org estimates the water required to make one T-shirt in enough to slake one person's thirst for 900 days.
In Chile's Atacama Desert, the mountain of discarded clothing is so huge, it's visible from space. A lot of it comes from the US, where it's estimated a garment is worn only seven to 10 times on average before it's discarded. That's a reduction in, say, a shirt's lifespan of 35 per cent in 15 years.
Stumbling on this information reminded me of a face-palm moment in the newsroom some years ago.
A young reporter was agonising over what to wear to an upcoming social event.
"Didn't you buy a new dress a couple of weeks ago?" I asked her.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly wear that," she replied. "I've already socialled it." A handful of Instagram likes and the frock was made redundant.
A riffle through my wardrobe revealed a snapshot of recent history. Gone were the pre-COVID business shirts and ties, the suits and the shiny shoes - thanks to working from home, the corporate armour is now superfluous. In their place, a colourful collection of Hawaiian shirts, shorts and one linen suit bought on a whim from a tailor in Thailand for summer. Sweaters and coats for winter.
And cargo pants.
Apart from the Hawaiian shirts, which get a couple of workouts a year in Asia, and a toasty warm, safety yellow parka bought for me as a present, every item is getting on and yet I feel no compulsion to replace them.
Not even the same type of cargo pants as the old trusties, recently offered at a discount, could sway me. Vowing instead to patch the hole, I realised I've embraced slow fashion. And that's liberating.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you have a favourite item of clothing you've worn for years? Is quality more important than price? As you've grown older, have you changed your clothes burying habits? Email us: [e-mail]
SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- A man has been taken into custody as part of an investigation into the whereabouts of missing teenager Pheobe Bishop, almost three weeks after her "suspicious" disappearance.
- Independent Nicolette Boele has claimed the last remaining seat of the federal election after winning a closely fought recount for the Sydney electorate of Bradfield.
- A shaky public spending handover has stalled Australia's post-COVID-19 recovery, with economic growth slowing to 0.2 per cent in the first three months of the year.
THEY SAID IT: "Buy less. Choose well. Make it last. Quality, not quantity. Everybody's buying far too many clothes." - Vivienne Westwood
YOU SAID IT: The best winter escape, wrote John, is a pile of good books.
Grant has some kind words: "I don't know if you're writing the Great Australian Novel but your beautiful and evocative account of the joys of winter indicates you should! Your respectful use of our language is appreciated, and should be shared on a broader canvas."
Jan is reading Flinders by Grantlee Kieza, about the exploits of Matthew Flinders. She, too, has noticed winter changing: "Winter is rapidly becoming all too brief as the years go by. I love the reprieve from the stifling, relentless and parching heat of summer and the (albeit diminishing) promise of snow in the mountains not too far away. In 2024, we had four weeks of barely usable snow cover instead of the traditional four months of a decade or more ago."
Ancient Rome has Ros captivated. Like John, she is engrossed in a Tom Holland history, Rubicon, about the decline of the Roman republic: "It is chilling indeed to see the clear parallels between the dying days of the Roman Republic and what is happening in a contemporary Republic with worldwide influence and impact."
Ian reads all year round, for at least an hour a day. "At the moment, I'm halfway through Mawson by Peter FitzSimons. A beautifully written and rollicking yarn, it is best appreciated being read in the middle of a Canberra winter with the heating turned off and all the windows open."
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to theechidna.com.au
The small hole on the seam gave pause. I realised this faithful pair of cargo pants had lasted longer than World War II. Their roomy pockets carried the daily essentials. Phone, wallet, glasses, notebook and pen were all accommodated. Even the tiny drone for sneaky aerial snapshots.
I've lived in them for years, through overseas adventures and chores in the garden, through fire and flood. And, once that hole is patched, I'll live in them for a few more. They're the polar opposite of fast fashion. Indeed, they're not fashionable at all. But for practicality and durability, they can't be beaten.
They weren't cheap but their longevity confirms the old adage that you get what you pay for. They also point to the false economy that is fast fashion.
Clothing waste is a global issue. In Australia alone, we produce about 300,000 tonnes of it each year. Some is recycled, some is exported but a lot of it ends up in landfill.
The fashion industry is responsible for about 10 per cent of the microplastics which end up in our oceans. It accounts for about 20 per cent of the world's wastewater. Earth.org estimates the water required to make one T-shirt in enough to slake one person's thirst for 900 days.
In Chile's Atacama Desert, the mountain of discarded clothing is so huge, it's visible from space. A lot of it comes from the US, where it's estimated a garment is worn only seven to 10 times on average before it's discarded. That's a reduction in, say, a shirt's lifespan of 35 per cent in 15 years.
Stumbling on this information reminded me of a face-palm moment in the newsroom some years ago.
A young reporter was agonising over what to wear to an upcoming social event.
"Didn't you buy a new dress a couple of weeks ago?" I asked her.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly wear that," she replied. "I've already socialled it." A handful of Instagram likes and the frock was made redundant.
A riffle through my wardrobe revealed a snapshot of recent history. Gone were the pre-COVID business shirts and ties, the suits and the shiny shoes - thanks to working from home, the corporate armour is now superfluous. In their place, a colourful collection of Hawaiian shirts, shorts and one linen suit bought on a whim from a tailor in Thailand for summer. Sweaters and coats for winter.
And cargo pants.
Apart from the Hawaiian shirts, which get a couple of workouts a year in Asia, and a toasty warm, safety yellow parka bought for me as a present, every item is getting on and yet I feel no compulsion to replace them.
Not even the same type of cargo pants as the old trusties, recently offered at a discount, could sway me. Vowing instead to patch the hole, I realised I've embraced slow fashion. And that's liberating.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you have a favourite item of clothing you've worn for years? Is quality more important than price? As you've grown older, have you changed your clothes burying habits? Email us: [e-mail]
SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- A man has been taken into custody as part of an investigation into the whereabouts of missing teenager Pheobe Bishop, almost three weeks after her "suspicious" disappearance.
- Independent Nicolette Boele has claimed the last remaining seat of the federal election after winning a closely fought recount for the Sydney electorate of Bradfield.
- A shaky public spending handover has stalled Australia's post-COVID-19 recovery, with economic growth slowing to 0.2 per cent in the first three months of the year.
THEY SAID IT: "Buy less. Choose well. Make it last. Quality, not quantity. Everybody's buying far too many clothes." - Vivienne Westwood
YOU SAID IT: The best winter escape, wrote John, is a pile of good books.
Grant has some kind words: "I don't know if you're writing the Great Australian Novel but your beautiful and evocative account of the joys of winter indicates you should! Your respectful use of our language is appreciated, and should be shared on a broader canvas."
Jan is reading Flinders by Grantlee Kieza, about the exploits of Matthew Flinders. She, too, has noticed winter changing: "Winter is rapidly becoming all too brief as the years go by. I love the reprieve from the stifling, relentless and parching heat of summer and the (albeit diminishing) promise of snow in the mountains not too far away. In 2024, we had four weeks of barely usable snow cover instead of the traditional four months of a decade or more ago."
Ancient Rome has Ros captivated. Like John, she is engrossed in a Tom Holland history, Rubicon, about the decline of the Roman republic: "It is chilling indeed to see the clear parallels between the dying days of the Roman Republic and what is happening in a contemporary Republic with worldwide influence and impact."
Ian reads all year round, for at least an hour a day. "At the moment, I'm halfway through Mawson by Peter FitzSimons. A beautifully written and rollicking yarn, it is best appreciated being read in the middle of a Canberra winter with the heating turned off and all the windows open."