Second hand clothing is the green way forward

By Clemmie Jackson-Stops and Tom Lowe

YOUNG women are addicted to bargain-hunting. Fashion fads are changing ever more quickly. Credit cards are bending and wardrobes are bulging. Primark, Asda and Topshop have never had it so good.

But how does our desire for this month’s fashion must-have weigh up against growing concerns for the environmental impact of the clothing industry? With more than 26.5 million people employed by the textile industry worldwide, fashionistas are beginning to ask questions: can they have this season’s dress and help to save the planet at the same time?

According to a new study published by the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Manufacturing, this is not an impossible task. Ethically minded shoppers simply need to sort out where and how they find their fashion fix.

The report, which assesses the carbon footprint of an ordinary t-shirt from cotton plant to high street, highlights the environmental and social impacts of bagging the cheapest bargain only to throw it away after a few outings.

The greatest harm comes from the burning of fossil fuels to provide electricity for washing and laundering clothes. Other problems arise from the toxins used in cotton production and the high water consumption of the textile industry.

With the average Briton spending £780 on clothing and sending over 30kg of clothing to landfill sites each year, the report suggests a change in consumer behaviour is one of the best ways to reduce the impact of the industry on the climate.

Among recommendations for ‘ideal consumer behaviour’ is the idea that shoppers should turn to second-hand stores for their ‘price tag fix’, or consider renting clothing that would otherwise only be worn once or twice.

Only 30 per cent of old clothing is currently given to charity shops or recycled, and 19 per cent of clothes and shoes were bought in low cost supermarkets in 2005, highlighting the growing trend for cheap-chic clothes.

Citing the rise of ‘fast fashion’ in the past five years as a catalyst for environmentally harmful practices, the report outlines the need to reduce the flow of clothes through the UK market. It suggests shoppers could repair clothes that have minor damage rather than replacing them, and spend more on better quality clothing that lasts longer.

Stefano Ubaldini, manager of second-hand clothing shop Traid on Holloway Road, believes second-hand clothing is a great option for green shoppers.

He says: “We try to be creative with the clothing we sell. We aim it at a specifically at young people as they are more willing to make their own style, but even professionals can wear second hand clothing in their free time.”

Ubaldini says second-hand clothing could feasibly grow in popularity in the future.
“The best thing is that you can make your own style and make your contribution to this colourful neighbourhood,” he adds.

Figures from Oxfam, the largest UK charity retailer, suggest this feeling may not be far from the truth. Profit from Oxfam’s 750 stores has been growing for the past four years, with last year seeing a 20 per cent profit increase from £17.8 million to £20.8 million. Clothing remains the most profitable sector in this surge.

However, whether fashion-conscious shoppers are prepared to tear themselves away from the bargain trends available in high street stores remains to be seen.

Ruth Rosselson, spokesperson for The Ethical Consumer, believes the report’s recommendations are realistic and necessary.

“Buying second-hand clothing diverts money away from companies that are exploiting workers abroad," she says. "We must start trying to implement this when we can.

“Fashion has to wake up to the impact it is having and we must move away from fast fashion, as it is simply not sustainable.”