When people say we should spend more money on clothes, several things often come to mind; someone with a lot of disposable cash, someone who just loves clothes and someone who has figured out that high quality clothes often last better and are thus better value for money. Yet, there is another reason to put back that cheap looking t-shirt back on the shelf and go for something of a higher quality – that’s right the environment. Since when did buying more expensive clothes become something that environmentalists encourage? Well, ever since we found out that to produce just 1kg of cotton requires a massive 20,000 liters of water.  As the world already shows signs of water scarcity, limiting the amount of water we use indirectly or directly is essential.  For every cheap t-shirt we buy, wear a few times and then discard, the environment is being affected. Using tons and tons of water to produce cotton that lives a short life as a piece of clothing and then ends up in a rubbish dump is just bad for the environment, especially when the water used to grow the cotton is in high demand throughout the developing world. So, what’s a girl or guy to do, stop buying clothes? Not exactly. Most of us love to shop, there is no denying that, but for the benefit of others and for the benefit of our environment we should at least start buying clothes that are made to last and limit the amount we buy, wear a few times and then throw out. At the same time, we must remember that we can continue to look fabulous by buying fewer but better quality clothes and then mixing and matching them with the season’s latest accessories. In addition, a tailor can do wonders to an old garment by making a few alterations and giving it a new zest of life. So, the next time you stroll around one of Dubai’s many malls and notice the hundreds and hundreds of clothes, many of which are cheap in price and cheap in quality, think before you buy and the world will hopefully be a better place because of it.