‘At the end of 2021 we decided the best way to love our global neighbours in the way we dressed was to stop buying new clothes. Being an all or nothing person, I gallantly committed our family to this endeavour for a year!’ says Kezia Neusch, as she shares what happened next.
My phone pinged with a school mum offering uniform hand-me-downs: “Would you like a fleece and a sweatshirt?” I immediately showed my husband. More uniform might not be the most thrilling gift but on this day, for our family, it was another moment of wonder on a journey of asking ‘what does loving our neighbour mean?’ in 2025.
Since becoming a mother, I’ve given increasing thought to the world we’re handing our kids. We’ve slowly opened our eyes to what it means to steward the planet God gave us, and to love neighbours in an increasingly connected global community. Who is our neighbour when the people before us in supply chains are thousands of miles away, and when my choices directly affect people continents apart?
One aspect of this has been exploring what our family wears. As we looked we saw unethical manufacturing, massive overproduction, and clothing that often ends up in landfill affecting the surrounding communities.
One aspect of this has been exploring what our family wears. As we looked we saw unethical manufacturing, massive overproduction, and clothing that often ends up in landfill affecting the surrounding communities. It seemed to be a story of greed in some ways, but also more deeply, one of us all searching for something in the way we dress - without knowing the impact.
READ MORE: Vinted or Primark? Why Christians need to be involved in the fight against fast fashion
At the end of 2021 we decided the best way to love our global neighbours in the way we dressed was to stop buying new clothes. Being an all or nothing person, I gallantly committed our family to this endeavour for a year! Not an embargo on clothes entering our home, but 365 days of using only what was already in circulation. This would mean charity shops, hand me downs, and loving what we owned already. With three growing kids, clubs, competitions, and weddings, I knew there would be challenges, but we were ready.
READ MORE: Why Christians should think twice before buying fast fashion
Our first hurdle? An unexpected new job requiring a new wardrobe. Then we had ballet exams, were invited to events, and outgrew uniforms. Yet… to my surprise, with some patience, we always had what we needed. We made a list of needed pieces instead of immediately hitting ‘purchase’, stopped by charity shops regularly to see if any of those items were on the shelves, and used online reselling platforms for more niche needs. All the way remembering that the effort was worth it; this wasn’t just about us.
To our surprise, one year rolled into the next without ceremony. We’d found a new normal, and we honestly questioned why we’d go back.
In shopping ‘preloved’, I had removed the security blanket of brands telling me what was in style each season.
Except this second year brought a new challenge: my confidence. In shopping ‘preloved’, I had removed the security blanket of brands telling me what was in style each season. Instead, I was thrust into a sea of clothes spanning multiple decades. I now had to know what was actually me, not what a storefront told me was.
READ MORE: Fighting fast fashion is every Christian’s responsibility
I’ve never felt style was my forte and this uncomfortable process of finding my own inner style was the twist - yet gift - of the journey so far. It was a reminder of how our identity shouldn’t come from what we’re told externally - especially when those messages are causing so many to turn a blind eye to our global neighbours. The choices that emerged in my wardrobe went much deeper, it wasn’t just about knowing what to pick off a charity shop rack. My truest style choices weren’t based solely on how an outfit looked, but on its story. Part of my style became about reflecting what loving my neighbour looks like.
While the practical side had its challenges, I think God might just be on the side of those trying to protect his people and planet. Over and over we found exactly what we needed, in perfect time.
Twenty four hours before that text pinged on my phone, my son had asked: “Mum, I’d love a bigger fleece that’s really big. And, if possible, do you think we could look for a jumper too?” In the rush of life I did nothing with his request. So when my phone chimed asking if I wanted exactly those two items - in the right uniquely large size - I couldn’t help but see a loving God smiling on our journey of endeavouring to love our neighbour.
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