PRINCE OF WALES URGES VOGUE READERS TO RECYCLE CLOTHES

THE PRINCE OF WALES HAS URGED READERS OF VOGUE TO WEAR MORE RECYCLED CLOTHES AND NATURAL FABRICS TO REDUCE WASTE AND CONSERVE THE WORLD'S RESOURCES. IN AN ARTICLE FOR THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF THE FASHION MAGAZINE, ALSO PUBLISHED ONLINE, HE SPEAKS ABOUT HIS PASSION FOR 'REUSING AND REPAINTING' AND PRAISED THE TREND FOR 'VINTAGE' CLOTHES 'BECAUSE THEY SAVE SCARCE RESOURCES AND AVOID WASTE'. HE CITED WOOL AS AN EXAMPLE OF A NATURAL MATERIAL AND PLEDGED TO CAMPAIGN TO PERSUADE CONSUMERS TO CHOOSE IT OVER 'ARTIFICIAL FIBERS MADE FROM OIL DERIVATIVES'. HE WROTE: 'ON THE WHOLE, THE OLDER SOME THINGS ARE, THE MORE COMFORTABLE AND FAMILIAR THEY BECOME; THEY CAN EVEN ADAPT TO LOOK NEW IN A DIFFERENT CONTEXT. FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE HAS BEEN IMAGINATIVE ENOUGH TO MAKE SETS OF CUFF LINKS OUT THE PREVIOUS ENGINE FROM MY 40 YEAR OLD ASTON MARTIN AND TO SELL THEM IN AID OF MY TRUST FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. I EVEN HAVE A PAIR OF SHOES MADE FROM THE BALES OF LEATHER SALVAGED FROM AND 18th CENTURY WRECK OFF THE SOUTHWEST OF BRITAIN. THEY ARE TOTALLY INDESTRUCTIBLE AND WILL SEE ME OUT.' THE PRINCE IS FREQUENTLY SEEN IN A WINTER COAT, MODELED ON ONE OWNED BY HIS GREAT UNCLE, KING EDWARD VIII, FOR 23 YEARS. IT WAS MADE FOR HIM BY LES BERGQUIST, A TAILOR AT THE SAVILE ROW FIRM ANDERSON & SHEPPARD. IN THE ARTICLE, THE PRINCE SPOKE OF HIS START INITIATIVE, WHICH HE HAS SET UP TO SHOW THE STEPS THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO 'TREAD MORE LIGHTLY ON OUR PLANET'. WHERE BETTER FOR VOGUE READERS TO START THAN WITH WHAT THEY WEAR?', HE WROTE. 'LEADING DESIGNERS ARE ALREADY PRODUCING CLOTHES THAT ARE APPEALING, GENUINELY DESIRABLE, AND, MOST IMPORTANT, DON'T HARM THE ENVIRONMENT. THOSE WHO DESIGN THESE FINE THINGS AND THOSE WHO WEAR THEM CAN MAKE A HUGE, POSITIVE, AND LONG-LASTING IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. NOT SO LONG AGO, WEARING OLD OR SECOND HAND CLOTHES TENDED TO BE AN EMBARRASSMENT TO MANY, YET NOW 'VINTAGE' OUTFITS ARE ON THE RED CARPETS ALL OVER THE WORLD', HE ADDED.