Oxfam’s Second Hand September (SHS) just finished, but after being inspired by the charity’s initiative, we’ve pulled together some reasons SHS should be implemented all year round.
Oxfam named last month Second Hand September (SHS) in an effort to raise awareness of the frivolity of fashion consumerism and highlight ways you can help reduce the 300,000 tonnes of clothing going into UK landfills every year.
Here’s how to do your part.
Shop charity and vintage
Saying “yes!” to second hand stops great clothes from prematurely going to landfill. If raking through hundreds of pre-owned garments isn’t your idea of fun, then aim to stick to sustainable brands like M&S, Mango and John Lewis. Disliking charity shopping doesn’t stop you doing your part — you can still donate clothes once you’re finished with them.
Avoid fast fashion brands
For those who don’t know, ‘fast fashion’ is inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends.
Brands like H&M Conscious and M&S IE signed the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment at the start of this year, aiming to help eradicate plastic pollution in fashion. It’s worth keeping up to date with edits to government regulations so you can continue to do your part within appropriate parameters.
Fight the impulse
Impulse buying is not only a curse on your purse, it’s also a disservice to the planet. According to new research, Britons spend an estimated £21.7 billion on impulse purchases each year. The majority of British consumers have revealed they can’t resist making impulse purchases even when they are not on their list of items they need. Which leads to the next point…
Declutter your wardrobe
Cleaning out your wardrobe: it’s a first-world problem that most people hate. Tidying guru, Marie Kondo says you should be purging your wardrobe every six months. The reality is that a lot of us simply don’t have the time to dedicate to a task that always takes twice as long as we think it will. Making a little effort to acknowledge what you have, however, helps you spot differences between needing and wanting, which could ultimately change the way you shop.
Be the difference you want to see. Simply buying second-hand items now and then means you can be part of the movement towards healthier fashion that benefits all of us.
We have a list of sustainable fashion brands to get you started on your journey to shopping with the environment in mind.
See even more in our Platinum Style sections and follow us on Instagram for more beautiful ideas @PlatinumMagUK.
