Second Hand September – First Choice is Second-Hand!

Although we are a tiny country, of all the countries in the world, only the massive USA is worse than us in terms of wasting clothes! 

Even cheap fashion has a secret cost, and it’s a surprisingly big cost if we consider how and where clothes are manufactured, by whom, how they’re transported here, how many times they’re worn, and where in the world they are taken before being dumped or burned! 

A shocking 73% of all clothing manufactured globally ends up being incinerated or simply dumped; there has to be a better option! Overproduction is a big problem within the UK clothing industry. Pollution from the production and transportation of clothes fuels global warming, and we’ve certainly been feeling that this summer! 

Of course, we all love a bargain, and selling and buying on second-hand sites like Ebay, Facebook Marketplace, Preloved, Vinted and Depop is an easy way to get a bit of extra cash for your unwanted items. Freebie sites such as Freecycle and Freegle are great for giving away items and decluttering your home.

As Oxfam’s Second Hand September campaign takes off, how else can we change up our habits?  We’re lucky to live in a wealthy area where charity shops abound, but millions of our donated garments are actually exported to the Global South, where they end up in landfills or are simply burned. This clearly has major impacts on health and the environment, especially when so many fabrics now contain synthetics. Water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions worsen the strain on countries already struggling to manage. Pure, natural fibres are much easier to recycle, and Repair Cafes and professionals can do a great job of mending or altering clothes to fit.

Fashion’s environmental impact is undeniable, but as consumers, we have the power to make a real difference. By noticing where our clothes come from and where they end up, we can start making great choices-deciding to support life, rather than wreck it.  

This September is your chance to make a difference, by making second hand the first choice going forwards. Search #SecondHandSeptember on Instagram to find out more about the 30-day challenge!  

Find your nearest repair café to get items repaired, taken up, in or out, learn to sew, or perhaps suggest organising a clothes swap at your nearest repair café, school, church or village hall www.sussexgreenliving.org.uk/solutions/repair-cafes/  

By Morag Warrack