In October 2026, I travelled to Zadar, Croatia, to present my research at the 12th International Textile, Clothing & Design Conference (ITC&DC), Magic World of Textile, hosted by the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Textile Technology. The conference brought together international researchers working across textile science, clothing technology, design and sustainability.

What makes clothes last?

My paper, What Makes Clothes Last? Emotional Durability and Garment Retention in Wardrobe Studies, explores a deceptively simple question: why do we keep some clothes for years while others are discarded even when they remain perfectly wearable?

Drawing on my ongoing Welcome to Our Wardrobe project, I examined how garments become entangled with memory, identity, relationships and everyday routines. These stories suggest that physical durability alone cannot explain clothing longevity. A garment may be structurally sound but no longer feel right to wear; another may show wear and damage yet remain deeply valued.

From wardrobe stories to design practice

The presentation considered how insights from qualitative wardrobe studies can inform a more nuanced approach to emotional durability. I also discussed my own practice-based exploration through a trouser prototype designed around adaptability, comfort and long-term use. The project brings together research and making: not simply asking how to produce longer-lasting clothes, but how to design garments people might actively want to keep.

Conversations that open new possibilities

One of the most rewarding parts of attending ITC&DC was the opportunity to exchange ideas with researchers from different textile disciplines. Conversations around yarn dyeing and colourfastness opened up a new direction for my work: what if a fabric were deliberately designed to change through washing and wear, gradually revealing a pattern rather than merely losing its original appearance?

This possibility connects to my developing research into patina and the cultural meanings of wear. Fading, marks and material change are not always signs of failure; their value depends on the garment, the wearer and the stories attached to it.

What comes next?

The Zadar presentation marks an important stage in a longer enquiry into emotional durability, garment retention and sustainable behaviour. I am continuing to explore these questions through wardrobe research, garment prototypes and experiments with changing materials, including future work on patina in textiles and leather.

Perhaps the most useful question is no longer simply how can we make clothes last? but what makes them worth keeping?

Learn more about the ITC&DC conference.