What is ethical clothes recycling? The statistics for the life-cycle of clothing and the overall negative impact on the environment is staggering. Ethical clothing recycling is ensuring that clothes are not thrown away before they have been used to the point where they are no longer usable.
How many items of clothing that you buy do actually wear? According to Oxfam, in the UK we buy around 1.13 MEGA tonnes of clothes every year and only wear 44% of our wardrobe.
Ethical clothes recycling in the media
Many companies including the fashion industry are now taking steps to produce clothing which is more environmentally friendly and this cause was highlighted recently by activist and actress Emma Watson when she wore a Calvin Klein dress to the Met Gala (New York) which had been ethically sourced and produced – in fact it was made from recycled bottles! Emma has said that she will only wear sustainable fashion to red carpet events from now on.
Why should I donate my clothes for recycling?
Here’s 5 good reasons why:
1) In the UK, around 300,000 tonnes of clothing is thrown in with the usual household rubbish end up in landfill, that’s the equivalent of about 30 kg per person!
2) It is estimated that around 5% of all landfill space is occupied by textile waste.
3) Keeping clothes in use for longer not only lowers the negative impact waste has on the environment but you are also helping a good cause if you donate them, here at Collect My Clothes we are only a phone call away.
How else can I prevent my clothes damaging the environment?
Donating clothes to a charity is a good cause but it’s not the only way you can get more use out of your ex-wardrobe.
1) You can sell your clothes online.
2) You can extend the life of your clothes by mending them or adjusting them, for example you could cut up a pair of jeans with holes in the knees to make a pair of shorts. You can use your craft skills to glamour up an old jacket.
3) You can pass your clothes to family and friends.
These are all good ways to extend the life cycle of your clothes but if you want to help a good cause why not donate them instead?
Do I have to visit a charity shop to donate?
No, here at Collect My Clothes we come to you. If you are in our catchment areas then simply give us a quick call and we will arrange to come and collect your items.
We only operate in an ethical recycling manner, have a look at the charities that we support from our menu and you can see how your donation will impact upon the lives of others. If you have any questions then please get in touch and we will be more than happy to answer them for you.
How do I know my clothes will go to a good cause?
When you donate your clothes they will help other people less fortunate than most. Many of the clothes donated will travel overseas to places such as Eastern Europe and Africa.
What else is being done about ethical sustainability?
The UN goal 10 is “responsible production and consumption” and this lays out the international goals for sustainability of mother natures natural resources including the production of materials and processes that go into the life cycle of clothing and textiles.
There are many other good causes too such as Wrap and their Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP)
“WRAP is revolutionising the clothing industry, using collective action to minimise the environmental impact of our clothes.
Our industry-led action plan delivers positive environmental and economic outcomes to organisations, by reducing carbon, water and waste through the SCAP 2020 Commitment.”
Many manufacturers of fashion including Marks & Spencers are not championing causes to promote ethical clothing production – now you can play your part by donating your unwanted wardrobe.
