The aim of this post is to persuade you to buy something pre-loved from a charity shop, instead of brand new items from fast-fashion outlets. You get the same exciting buzz of 'Yay new clothes!', without the environmental price tag. Plus it's cheaper, and all the money goes to charity. (Sounds like a win-win-win situation to me).
With the recent announcement of a new 'penny on a garment' plan, which aims to increase clothes recycling, the perils of fast fashion have been hitting the news. In the last twenty four hours the media has explored everything from debates on who should pay to reduce the environmental impact of clothing, to 'virtual clothes', to ending fast fashion altogether.
The general gist is that the fashion industry produces more CO2 than all planes and shipping combined, uses vast quantities of water, puts peoples' well-being in jeopardy with issues including unsafe working conditions and minuscule wages, and at the end of that £140 million worth of clothes end up in land fill per year in the UK alone.
And all of that is predicted to rise.
Thankfully, it's not all doom and gloom (hence why I'm talking about it on this ever hopeful channel). As already mentioned, MPs are striving to act against it, not only trying to implement the 'penny a garment' plan, but also urging people to curb their consumption.
Also rising against the tide of fast-fashion is the growing popularity of vintage and second-hand. There are simply so many clothes in the world now that second hand stores generally contain really lovely clothes. It's also exciting because you never know what you're going to find.
As a little example, I'll finish the post with a few items I've bought over the last few months, mostly from an amazing Oxfam near convent garden.
Scarf: my grandma's, made of an old sari (silky smooth)
Top: Oxfam, £4.99 (originally Zara, a steal if you ask me)
Jeans: Oxfam, £6.99 (super comfy, fit perfectly, just like new)
Boots: Oxfam, £25 (my best find yet - real leather, great condition, Jones)
So get into your nearest charity shop and see what treasures you can find!
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