What is Second Hand September?
Oxfam have created a campaign to aid people to shop second hand for the whole month of September. All you have to do is resist buying new clothing for 30 days. Fear not, we’re here to help prove to you that it isn’t as challenging as you might think and why it’s such an important cause.
Let's Start With The Hard Hitting Facts About The Fashion Industry
- It's one of the largest polluters in the world. With the high demand for the textile industry equaling 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, this is estimated to increase by 25% in 2050 if change doesn’t happen.
- 300,000 tonnes of clothing are sent to British landfills per year. That’s 300,000 great white sharks of unwanted (sometimes even brand new) items of clothing.
- Workers are exploited with basic human rights needs not even met. With highstreet fast fashion retailers choosing to manufacture clothing in poor countries means they can get away with not paying their workers fairly in unsafe and unhealthy working conditions.
Most of all, there’s so many clothes in the world it seems virtually impossible to produce anymore. Just look at how many clothes arrive in our weekly deliveries!
Here Are 5 Ways You Can Take Part
- If you have to scratch that shopping itch, choose to shop second hand clothing - we have 1000s of vintage pieces available to shop online now!
- Donate your old, unwanted clothing via Oxfam's donate by post scheme. It’s never been easier to make sure your clothes aren’t adding to the heaps in landfill already.
- Tag us on Instagram and use #SecondHandSeptember so we can see how you’re taking part.
- Get your friends involved. Educate them on what they can be doing to help and why its important.
- Pledge to take part on the Oxfam website!
- Sources: Oxfam, lifehack
