Introduction
Did you know that it takes around 7,500 liters to make one pair of jeans? That’s equivalent to 94 full bath-tubs of water!
Used clothes, on the other hand, reduce our environmental impact by limiting CO2 emissions and the use of pesticides and fertilisers. Reducing the waste of billions of liters of water that would have been needed to generate new clothes.
Why?
According to the American Apparel Association, each person that buys second-hand clothing can prevent more than 500 pounds of carbon emissions every year. Here are some other incentives to start buying second-hand:
- Save money – High quality second-hand clothes can be bought for a fraction of the price than they originally sold for.
- Extend a garments life-cycle – By buying second-hand clothing and giving it a new home, we can stop many textiles from ending up in landfill.
- Save resources – Second hand clothing will reduce the demand for fast fashion, thus saving on vital world resources such as water and cotton.
- Reduce emissions – The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters in the world and is responsible for 10% of worldwide carbon emissions.
How?
- Clothes-selling apps – Using apps such as Depop, eBay and Facebook Marketplace is a great way to find unique second-hand clothing. You can search for specific items that you’d like, or just browse through thousands of items.
- Charity shops – Why not visit one of your local charity shops? Charity shops often sell used clothing at very cheap prices. You can pick up new clothes at a small price and donate money to a great cause in the process!
- Carboot sales – Carboot’s are a fantastic place to both buy and sell your clothing. You can find a complete listing of Carboot sales in Berkshire here.
