Love Your Clothes
UK households have an average of £4000 worth of clothes - but 30% of those haven’t been worn in the last year!
We can all save money and help the environment by making simple changes to the way we buy, use and get rid of our clothing.
Buying clothes
We spend £1,800 on average each year on clothes. There are lots of ways we can make the most of this money by checking our wardrobes and making a list before we go shopping, choosing clothing designed to last longer and buying second hand.
Getting more out of our existing clothes
The reason some of our clothes remain unworn is because they no longer fit, need repairing, or they don't suit our style or taste anymore. To overcome this you can:
- look for shops nearby which offer repair and alteration services
- wear clothes in new combinations and use accessories to give clothing a new lease of life
- use energy efficient laundry methods.
Keeping clothes out of the bin
More than 30% of our clothing goes to landfill, with nearly half of us putting some clothing in the bin. All of our clothing can either be re-used or recycled.
Pass it on!
If clothing is in good condition but is no longer of use to you, consider passing it on to someone else.
- Pass on, exchange or share unwanted clothes with friends and family.
- Unwanted clothing has a value. Why not sell them online, at a car boot sale or via Cash for Clothes
- Donate clothing to charity shops or through collection services offered by charities, local councils, retailers and other organisations.
Recycle
Clothing that isn't in good enough condition to be passed onto someone else can be recycled into other things.
- Find out What to do with clothes.
- Check our recycling locator for where to recycle clothes near you.
Want to know more?
Visit our sister campaign Love Your Clothes for lots more ways to make the most of your clothes, keep them lasting for longer, and passing on clothes you no longer need.