Written by Hannah Westwood
Second Hand September is a campaign run by Oxfam which encourages people to pledge not to buy new clothes for the month of September. By buying second hand instead of new, you will significantly reduce your environmental impact. You can also donate to and buy clothes from charity shops, such as Oxfam, allowing you to contribute to charity whilst reducing your environmental impact. If you’re up for the challenge, you can take the pledge on social media, using the hashtag #SecondHandSeptember and tagging Oxfam.
Why should you take the pledge?
In their campaign for Second Hand September, Oxfam have shared some worrying statistics. Did you know that every week, the UK sends 13 million items of clothing to landfill? This staggering number shows just how harmful the throwaway fashion market really is, and it’s something that we can all have a hand in changing.
Oxfam have shared on their website tips for making your clothes last longer, from mending small holes to removing stains. By looking after our clothes and making them last longer, we can reduce the number of items that go to landfill each week, and reduce the need for buying more clothes. Plus, if you look after your clothes well, they will be in a good enough condition to donate to charity rather than send to landfill when you are finished with them.
Taking part in Second Hand September can help us to be more mindful of what we are buying and whether we really need it. Although Oxfam is encouraging us to shop second hand, we should also be thinking about whether we really need to buy certain items of clothing. When shopping, even second hand (but this certainly applies to new clothing as well), we should think about how much we need something, and how much wear we are going to get out of it. If you think you are only going to wear something once, consider whether it is possible to borrow or rent it first, and if not, think about what you will do with it afterwards to ensure that it doesn’t end up in landfill.
Another benefit of Second Hand September is that by encouraging people to take part, we can increase the numbers of people who reduce their reliance on fast, throwaway fashion. Taking part in Second Hand September can help us all understand both the environmental benefits of cutting down on fast fashion, and realise how easy it is to buy second hand. Charity shops are not the only way to get a second hand bargain, so if you’re not comfortable going into shops right now then you can still take part by using apps such as Depop, Vinted and Nuw, and websites such as Ebay and Swopped. Keep an eye on the blog as well, as we will continue to bring you more slow fashion tips to help you get through Second Hand September and beyond!
We really hope you consider taking the #SecondHandSeptember pledge with us, and remember, if you are enjoying the challenge and think you can keep going, you can pledge additional days! To learn more and take the pledge, head to Second Hand September.
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