Shopping Tip: Recycling Clothes

It’s that time of year again, all the summer stock is on sale and shops are bringing in their new Autumn/Winter collections. With the UK weather being as unpredictable as ever, I am not sure whether to bring out the jumpers or stay put for a while. The only thing I can be sure of is that as I go into the new season there will be several items in my closet that probably shouldn’t be there. Pre Daisy, I wore mini skirts (!!) and I can safely say that I won’t be wearing them again any time soon; particularly as I fully intend to follow Iris Apfel’s advice to dress “appropriately”. Have you seen the film? Sorry, I am diverging. My point is that I, probably like you, will have bags of clothes that I need to get rid of.

“Fashion is the 3rd most polluting industry in the world”

Did you know that over 1 million tonnes of clothing and other textiles are thrown away in the UK each year. If this was compressed it would be as wide as Canary Wharf and 3x taller.* So it goes without saying that if we can recycle our used clothes so they don’t end up in landfill, we’ll be doing everyone a favour.  Clearly the first port of call is taking our garments to the charity shop. But have you remembered that if you take your unwanted clothes into H&M or Oxfam you can receive a £5 voucher in exchange?  I had forgotten too, so here is a reminder of the facts:

Oxfam & M&S – Shwopping

• Take in your unwanted clothes to Oxfam, and providing the donation has at least one item of M&S clothing you’ll receive a £5 voucher when you spend £35.
• So far Oxfam & M&S have raised £9.5 million to fight poverty.
• Clothes are never sent to landfill, instead they are resold, reused or recycled.
• Please note this offer doesn’t include swimwear, underwear, socks or damaged or soiled items.

H&M – Garment Collecting

• Take a maximum of two bags per person, per day into a H&M and you’ll receive a £5 H&M voucher when you spend £30.
• H&M’s goal is to send zero waste to landfill

For more information please go to:

* Quote and information from Recycling Bins

H&M Garment Collecting

M&S – Shwopping

Oxfam – Shwopping