Have too much stuff?

In case you missed it, the past week or so has seen media outlets, business leaders, and armchair intellectuals discussing the idea that the west has reached ‘peak levels of stuff’. In other words, as a society, we’ve amassed so many material goods that the prospect of acquiring more no longer appeals to us. Potentially worrying for economists – who know that the west’s economic model demands continual growth through the production and distribution of ‘stuff’ – this actually makes a lot of sense. People are buying less, and even the prospect of a new iPhone or iPad – products that were previously in outrageously high demand – is leaving people cold, with reduced sales recorded for both products last year.

In a world where we gain less pleasure from purchasing goods, then, we can expect to keep our products up to two, three, or even four times longer than we previously did. As a result, the recent  ‘make do and mend’ mentality that blossomed during the global economic crisis of 2008 is still alive eight years later. While most people were already wrapping their mobile phones up in protective cases, to return briefly to the iPhone name-check, more people are starting to turn their attention to the protection, conservation, and maintenance of their other consumer goods. Among these rests the waterproof jacket.

Almost everybody has a waterproof jacket – if you’re anything like us and live in the UK, you probably have several. Whether you use it to keep dry during your morning commute, pull it on whenever you need to take the dog for a walk, or prefer to do some serious walking and adventuring come the weekend, your waterproof jacket works hard to keep you dry. Unfortunately, it can’t do this forever – at least, not without help.

Previously, once your waterproof jacket started leaking you may have been tempted to go back to the shop in order to select – and purchase – a new one. Now, with a focus on the restoration of the old, rather than the acquisition of the new, more people are switching on to the fact that with the right maintenance products, your jacket can be re-waterproofed to a like-new standard of performance. Here at Grangers, we’ve always considered restoring your favourite waterproof jackets, tents, and clothing to be the most cost-effective – and environmentally responsible – way to stay dry. That’s why, with products like Performance Wash and Clothing Repel, we offer restorative and protective solutions that transform even the most tired jackets into water-repellent wonders.

So, while we may have reached peak levels of stuff in our life, take solace in the fact that your reluctance to buy a new waterproof jacket is giving your old favourite a brand new lease of life – provided, of course, you give it the care it requires. Great news for you, your wallet, your jacket, and the planet – with less things being thrown away, and less pollutants being created through pointless production...