Refresh your wardrobe (Cleaning tips + giving away extra footwear for recycling)

Fashion, like the seasons, is always changing. And most of us keep updating our wardrobes regularly. Staying fashionable and on-trend with the latest looks is an expensive hobby, but looking cute and current need not break the bank. From up-cycling older looks to adding zing with new accessories, we’ve collected five of our favorite ways to update a closet. 

1. Shop your closet: Every great wardrobe makeover starts by reviewing what you already have. For most, this means work — digging into closets, getting rid of what no longer works, and putting older pieces — loved but forgotten — back into regular rotation. Not only will you make space for new additions, but you can also resell high-end pieces through a consignment shop or donate the things you no longer want to organizations that help those in need.
   
   
2. Upcycle: You know that t-shirt you used to love, that just doesn’t work anymore? Sometimes all it needs is a little reboot to wind up back in the rotation. With only a pair of scissors, you can adjust the neckline, or add slits to the sides or back for a peekaboo look. Or maybe you turn those old jeans into shorts, or a skirt, or add patches or an old jacket to give it new life. When it comes to upcycling old clothes the only limit is your imagination.
   
   
3. Host a swap: Probably the most fun solution on our list, a clothing swap is a great way to rid yourself of the old and welcome the new. And it’s the perfect excuse to spend a fun afternoon with your friends. Go bare bones and spend an hour digging through the communal pile, or make an event of it complete with cocktails, snacks, and a thrift-wear fashion show. In either case, when all is said and done you can pack up anything left unclaimed for donation.
   
   
4. Accessories: Sometimes all that’s needed to add new life to old clothes is a different context. A new scarf or purse, added belt, or updated footwear can easily make a stale look fresh again — and is an easy way to bring in seasonal colors or trends without changing everything. That LBD that’s perfect for a sophisticated night-on-the-town can look just as at home at a summer garden party with a new pair of flats, and light wrap in the color of the season. Bags, shoes, scarves, and jewelry are the key to spicing up and diversifying your wardrobe, especially for those who already have a capsule wardrobe. With a more minimalist wardrobe, you’ll waste no time wondering if your accessories look okay or coordinate with your outfit– they always will!
   
   
5. Back to basics: Even though you have a closet full of clothes- do you feel like you have ‘nothing to wear? ‘It’s because you don’t have the right basics in your closet. Think of ‘basics’ (or essentials) as the unifying pieces that you need to create outfits easily. When you’re shopping for basics, be intentional about your purchases by making a list of items you need, then use the filters on websites to lead you right to those items. For example, if you need a new classic white t-shirt, you can sort by gender, item type, and color to create a simplified shopping experience. And don’t forget to invest in the core colors first- black, white, grey, and navy.

After refreshing your wardrobe, you will be left with a ton of clothes, shoes, and accessories that aren’t in condition to be worn or just aren’t “you” anymore. Instead of throwing them away, you can give away, donate or recycle them. At PAIO, we are constantly ideating and experimenting to take every component of each product more sustainable. Whether it is about innovating raw materials, pasting technologies, packaging, or anything else, it is our constant endeavor to take PAIO one step closer to sustainability! To take this initiative further, we have collaborated with 5RCycle Foundation for an ongoing social drive. 5RCycle Foundation aims at creating a zero-waste management system, and through that also promotes the conservation of our environment, wildlife, and aquatic life. They are incorporating a 4-step process before people even think about the fifth ‘R’- Recycling. The 4 R’s that they follow are: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Repurpose.

As a footwear brand, we are aware of the amount of post-consumption footwear that reaches landfills and are hoping to create a solution for the same. This donation drive will ensure that all footwear & clothing items we receive, will be repurposed by those at 5RCycle & Greensole & donated to those in need! A percentage of proceeds from these sales will be donated to the foundation. We invite you to dig into your closets and send us those old unused clothing or footwear to the address below. These items will be refurbished by those at 5RCycle & GreenSole, and gifted to those in need, giving new life to shoes that would have probably ended up in landfills! We will also send across a discount voucher as a token of our appreciation, for joining us in this effort of reducing waste, and making our planet a tiny bit better!