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Last January, I made a decision that surprised my friends: for a whole year, I would not buy any new clothes. Not one T-shirt, not one pair of jeans. My name is Liat, I'm seventeen, and I live in Haifa. Until then, shopping was my favourite hobby. Almost every week I came home with a new bag from the mall or a package from an online shop.

Everything changed because of a school project on fast fashion. Fast fashion means cheap clothes that are made very quickly, so that shops can sell new styles every few weeks. I learned that many of these clothes are worn only a few times before people throw them away. I also learned that making clothes uses huge amounts of water and energy. According to one well-known estimate, making a single cotton T-shirt can take about 2,700 litres of water.

When I opened my wardrobe, I felt ashamed. It was full of clothes I had forgotten about. Some still had the price tag on them! I realised that I wasn't buying things because I needed them. I was buying them because I was bored, or because an advertisement told me that I deserved something new.

The first two months were difficult. Every time I saw a sale, I wanted to go in. Instead, I started to wear my old clothes in new combinations, and I learned to repair a torn shirt with a needle and thread. My grandmother was very happy to teach me. In March, my friends and I organised a clothes swap at school: everyone brought clothes they didn't wear, and took home something "new" for free.

By the end of the year, I had saved more than 3,000 shekels. More importantly, I had changed the way I think. I'm not against shopping, and now I sometimes buy second-hand clothes. But before I pay for anything, I ask myself one question: do I really need it, or do I just want it?

Last January, I made a decision that surprised my friends: for a whole year, I would not buy any new clothes. Not one T-shirt, not one pair of jeans. My name is Liat, I'm seventeen, and I live in Haifa. Until then, shopping was my favourite hobby. Almost every week I came home with a new bag from the mall or a package from an online shop.

Everything changed because of a school project on fast fashion. Fast fashion means cheap clothes that are made very quickly, so that shops can sell new styles every few weeks. I learned that many of these clothes are worn only a few times before people throw them away. I also learned that making clothes uses huge amounts of water and energy. According to one well-known estimate, making a single cotton T-shirt can take about 2,700 litres of water.

When I opened my wardrobe, I felt ashamed. It was full of clothes I had forgotten about. Some still had the price tag on them! I realised that I wasn't buying things because I needed them. I was buying them because I was bored, or because an advertisement told me that I deserved something new.

The first two months were difficult. Every time I saw a sale, I wanted to go in. Instead, I started to wear my old clothes in new combinations, and I learned to repair a torn shirt with a needle and thread. My grandmother was very happy to teach me. In March, my friends and I organised a clothes swap at school: everyone brought clothes they didn't wear, and took home something "new" for free.

By the end of the year, I had saved more than 3,000 shekels. More importantly, I had changed the way I think. I'm not against shopping, and now I sometimes buy second-hand clothes. But before I pay for anything, I ask myself one question: do I really need it, or do I just want it?

Last January, I made a decision that surprised my friends: for a whole year, I would not buy any new clothes. Not one T-shirt, not one pair of jeans. My name is Liat, I'm seventeen, and I live in Haifa. Until then, shopping was my favourite hobby. Almost every week I came home with a new bag from the mall or a package from an online shop.

Everything changed because of a school project on fast fashion. Fast fashion means cheap clothes that are made very quickly, so that shops can sell new styles every few weeks. I learned that many of these clothes are worn only a few times before people throw them away. I also learned that making clothes uses huge amounts of water and energy. According to one well-known estimate, making a single cotton T-shirt can take about 2,700 litres of water.

When I opened my wardrobe, I felt ashamed. It was full of clothes I had forgotten about. Some still had the price tag on them! I realised that I wasn't buying things because I needed them. I was buying them because I was bored, or because an advertisement told me that I deserved something new.

The first two months were difficult. Every time I saw a sale, I wanted to go in. Instead, I started to wear my old clothes in new combinations, and I learned to repair a torn shirt with a needle and thread. My grandmother was very happy to teach me. In March, my friends and I organised a clothes swap at school: everyone brought clothes they didn't wear, and took home something "new" for free.

By the end of the year, I had saved more than 3,000 shekels. More importantly, I had changed the way I think. I'm not against shopping, and now I sometimes buy second-hand clothes. But before I pay for anything, I ask myself one question: do I really need it, or do I just want it?