Opinion

How much is in your wardrobe compared to the Swiss average?

14.4.2022

Translation: Megan Cornish

I recently found out how many items of clothing are reportedly in an average Swiss wardrobe. My colleagues and I then set about checking how we compare.

Sunlight falls on the pillow. Various phrases float above the bed like thoughts circling around nervously. I'm not in my bedroom; I’m standing in the Rrrevolve shop window on Zollstrasse in Zurich’s Kreis 5 district (website in German), where an interactive exhibition – said bed with its floating phrases – is intended to make me think about my relationship with clothing and fashion consumption.

The latest shop window at Rrrevolve invites customers to reflect. Image: Rrrevolve

The installation is called «Contemplation Lounge» and you can also see it during Fashion Revolution Week until April 30th. However, I have to admit that I don’t think it’s worth it unless you happen to be in the area anyway. I didn’t take much from the scene. The only statement that stayed with me for the rest of the day is:

On average, each Swiss citizen has 118 items of clothing in their wardrobe.

118 items. Really? Although it looks like a large number at first glance, I immediately have the uncomfortable feeling that the contents of my wardrobe could easily top it. Back at my laptop, I asked around my team and we got counting. We decided to give socks, underwear, sports clothing and bathing suits special treatment, so they aren’t included in our experiment.

«Around 180,» admits colleague Pia Seidel in our group chat. Which is quickly followed by «I have to change something». The number is almost identical for Stephanie Vinzens.

«I'm at 140-150,» says team leader Oliver Fischer, being diplomatically vague.

Now for the moment of truth. I carefully sneak past my clothes rail. 1, 2, 3, 4, … 23, uh oh … then I open the wardrobe doors. A few minutes later, ashamed, I type «156» into the chat. As I press enter, I realised that I forgot the laundry basket. I fish out a further eight items and correct the final figure: «164». Ahem.

The fallacy of more is more

You might be thinking: that’s great, you have a huge selection and there’s always something for every occasion. Rubbish. Because what I actually wear is limited to an embarrassing fraction of what I own. I have a favourite pair of jeans, an excessive stack of white t-shirts, a handful of sweatshirts, and two blazers that I absolutely love. The rest? The less said about them, the better. Instead, I ask myself: why do I like to accumulate clothes that I neither need nor wear regularly?

According to a study by the WWF, 40 per cent of the notorious 118 items are either never worn or only worn on a maximum of four occasions. This is not only completely stupid; it’s also a total waste of money. So Pia is right: something has to change. For example, I have a strong tendency to buy an item that I like in slightly different versions over and over again as a backup. So I could stop adding yet another white t-shirt to my inventory every chance I get. I could stop obsessing over searching for the next supposedly perfect-fitting pair of Levi's 501 in second-hand shops. And I could stop telling myself that I urgently need an umpteenth black slip dress for this summer. Fun fact: I own at least three of them, even though I really don’t like wearing dresses.

Together, we can do it

So, dear team, dear readers, I challenge you. Let’s all start with a modest and hopefully easy-to-implement resolution: reducing your number of clothing items from 164 (or whatever your number is) to 118. That would bring us down to the average figure, which sounds bearable to start with. I personally try to suppress any doubts that arise by telling myself that my mother managed to stop smoking after 40 years one day at a time. If she can do that, I can probably curb my shopping habits. Can’t I?

My imagination runs wild and imagines an app that supports me like a prospective non-smoker and calculates the money and CO₂ emissions I save with each item that I would like to have but don’t buy. I made a quick detour to the App Store. I couldn’t find exactly what I had in mind, but klimakompass and The Mother Nature App (both in German) at least want to help me better understand, and ideally reduce, my carbon footprint. When it comes to the diligent sort-out, I vow to donate wisely. To Refy, the donation depot Zurich (both websites in German) or the Swiss Red Cross. And going forward, I’ll be following this guide (in German) put together by my dear colleague Stephanie Vinzens, which will at least protect me from unnecessary bad buys.

Hand on heart – how many items are in your wardrobe?

I'd rather not say, but waaaay more than 118.
56%
I'm roughly average. Maybe even below.
44%

The competition has ended.

Header image: Parker Coffman via Unsplash

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Laura Scholz

Senior Editor

Laura.Scholz@digitecgalaxus.ch

Always in the mood for good hits, great trips and clinking drinks.

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