What is Second Hand September?
Second Hand September is a campaign started by Oxfam GB in 2019, which asks people to pledge to resist new and only buy second hand clothes for the 30 days of September. Mainly to inspire you to make kinder choices to the planet and shed light on the people that make our clothes. We're *hopefully* going to shed some light on why it is important to be aware of the impact of where you clothes come from and give little tips on how to shop second hand.
3 Harsh Realities of The Impact of New Clothes
Unfortunately, the facts about the fashion industry aren’t pretty, but they're very important to be made aware of
1. Impact on Climate Change
The production of new textiles contributes more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined (House of Commons).
2. Overuse of Water
Did you know it can take an estimated 20,000L of water to make just one pair of jeans and a T-Shirt (Oxfam) and an 2,700L to make one T-Shirt? This equals around enough water to hydrate one person for 20 years. This figure doesn't include once you have purchased the T-Shirt and Jeans and the amount of water they use for laundering.
3. Fossil Fuels
The fashion industry is known to contribute 8-10% of global CO2 emissions, not including the rise of demand on polyester which will increase this number dramatically. Which makes the fashion industry the second biggest polluter after the oil industry.
Positive News on What You'll Contribute When Buying Second Hand
The solution is complex, but with the fashion industry playing such a key role in the climate crisis, it’s clear one of the best things we can do for our planet is consume less and reuse more.
If everyone choses to buy one item second hand instead of new this year, it would save; 204 million kgs of clothing waste (the weight of 1 million polar bears), 25 billion gallons of water (the equivalent of 1.24 billion showers), 7 billion pounds of CO2 emissions (the same as taking 500,000 cars off our roads for a whole year).
How You Can Make A Difference
1. Rewear
With fashion trends changing quicker than the English weather 🥲 it's easy to want to buy a new outfit for every occasion, but we urge you to invest in a capsule wardrobe. Featuring basic, transitional basics including Levi's 501s, T-Shirts and Upcycled Basics - all of which can be found second hand on the high street through vintage or charity shops.
2. Care for Your Clothes
Did you know you wouldn't need to wash your denim for 180 days if cared for properly? Knowing how to care for your clothes will play an important part in how long they last and how you can help to reduce the impact fashion has on the environment.
3. Shop Second Hand
Whether you’re new to second hand, struggling to resist new, or have been thrifting for as long as you can remember, if you chose to swap new for second hand (even if it’s just once!) you can have a huge impact. It's easier now than ever to shop second hand, wether it's on the high street or online. Our favourite places to shop are Vinted, Depop or, of course Glass Onion Vintage!
You can shop all of your second hand September finds in our store on Sheffield's Division Street, at our Pop Up Events all across the country or online!
If you’re up for a challenge, why not take the Oxfam pledge and say “no” to new and “yes” to second hand for a whole month? You can do it! Make sure to tag us on Instagram in your #SecondHandSemptember fits and let us know how you get on.
