A Yorkshire entrepreneur is launching an unusual fashion challenge to promote the importance of sustainable fashion and wearing natural fibres like wool.

Sarah Turner, the founder of Ilkley-based Little Beau Sheep, which produces 100% British wool laundry balls, will launch ‘The 90 Day Wool Habit’, which will see Turner wear the same navy wool dress every day for 90 days.

Launching on 1st October – the first day of Wool Month - it will accompany her through work, travel, awards ceremonies, family life, dog walks and social occasions to prove that we don’t need to fill our wardrobes with fast fashion – a few trusted staples will do.

The challenge comes as consumers say they want to make more responsible clothing choices, yet the amount of clothing being thrown away continues to rise.

New research from British Wool found the average Brit now discards 192 garments a year, equivalent to 16 items every month. That figure has increased by 65% since 2023, when the average was 116 garments, compared with 72 in 2022.

At the same time, 85% of Britons say they consider what their clothing is made from before purchasing, and 46% say they would rather buy fewer, higher-quality garments than larger quantities of fast-fashion items.

This suggests that despite wanting to buy clothes that last, Brits are throwing away more garments than ever, highlighting a growing gap between consumers’ intentions and their behaviour.

The challenge aims to shine a light on this gap and encourage shoppers to cut through the fast-fashion cycle by prioritising durable, natural fibres like British wool and choosing quality garments that endure.

As fast fashion has made new clothes cheaper and more accessible than ever, consumers are increasingly navigating a cycle of constant newness – making it harder for even those who value quality and longevity to turn those intentions into lasting habits.

Throughout the challenge, Sarah will test the dress through changing autumn and winter conditions, exploring wool’s natural temperature regulation, odour resistance and durability. She will demonstrate how wearing garments for longer and washing them less frequently and caring for them properly could form part of a more considered approach to clothing consumption.

The wool has been spun in Yorkshire by Laxtons into Sheepsoft yarn, made from 100% British wool. The fabric was then woven by Marton Mills in Otley before being tailored by Norton & Townsend Tailors in Ilkley.

Sarah Turner said: “One dress can’t solve the problems of fast fashion, but it can start a conversation about how to fight back against the disposable culture created by fast fashion and start using the garments we own.

“I want to put this dress through its paces to prove that natural British fibres like wool offer durability, versatility and a sustainable option for shoppers looking to make lasting clothing choices.”

Louisa Knapp, Textile Expert at British Wool, said: “Discarding 16 items of clothing every month, or 192 garments a year, is a striking figure and shows just how far the way we consume clothing has shifted – and how difficult it can be for people to act on their good intentions.

“Natural fibres such as British wool have been valued for generations for their durability and ability to be worn and enjoyed for many years – decades rather than seasons! A good quality wool garment can become something that stays in a wardrobe for years; we look forward to cheering Sarah on as she demonstrates this through her challenge.”

You can follow the challenge at littlebeausheep.com/90-day-wool-habit