Oxfam urges people to buy second-hand jeans

BBC

Sam Eastcott says she hasn’t bought a new outfit in three years

The charity says that if every person in the UK bought one pair of used jeans instead of a brand new pair, enough water could be saved to fill Wales’ largest lake five times over.

Oxfam encourages people to buy second-hand clothes through its Second Hand September project, which aims to highlight the impact they have on the environment fast fashion.

Industry analysts ECDB say that while older generations are less inclined to buy second-hand clothing products, it is a rapidly growing market led by young people.

“I didn’t like what other people were wearing so I started going to charity shops to look for something different,” said 25-year-old Sam Eastcott.

Mrs Eastcott, from Caerphilly, said she had not bought any new clothes for three years.

Now he teaches classes on how to repair and reuse old clothes.

“We teach people how to wash and recycle their own clothes, we try to promote second-hand shopping and think about clothes differently,” she said.

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Llyn Tegid in Bala, Wales’ largest natural lake, could be filled five times over with water saved by Britain buying second-hand jeans instead of new ones, Oxfam has said.

According to Oxfam and the World Bank, the global fashion industry is responsible for using 93 billion cubic metres of water per year, the equivalent of 37 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.

In general, the global fashion industry is accounts for 8-10% of global emissions, according to the UN – more than the aviation and shipbuilding industries combined.

Sarah Rees, chief executive of Oxfam Cymru, said the planet was “drowning” in so-called fast fashion – a term used to describe the rapid change in fashion trends towards cheap, mass-produced clothing.

“At the same time, across the planet we have a serious problem with the lack of fresh water due to climate change,” Ms Rees said.

Antique shop owner Daniel Evans says most older clothes simply last longer

Sion Williams, 25, and Daniel Evans, 27, opened their first vintage clothing store while at university and have recently launched their third shop.

“For our customers, the most important thing is to do good for the planet,” Daniel said, adding that if a garment has already lasted 30 years, “why not make it last even longer?”

“Take denim, for example. A certain level of quality has simply been lost,” he argued.

Sion Williams believes many companies are trying to ‘eco-dark’ their image by investing in vintage clothing

Mr Williams, who believes it is in the interests of the global fashion industry to produce clothes that need replacing, said he was suspicious of big brands entering the vintage clothing market.

“A lot of brands have entered the vintage and organic clothing market, but they have to do it on such a large scale that it’s very difficult to be sustainable and organic,” he said.

“Every antique shop is usually local, it’s young people who start their businesses there.”

University of South Wales fashion students Charlotte, Jade and Rhys are among those working with Oxfam to turn donated clothes into brand new outfits

Fashion students from the University of South Wales are working with Oxfam Cymru to transform donated clothes from their shop in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, into brand new outfits.

“There are so many more places to buy second-hand and vintage items now, and we’re much more aware of the environmental impact of clothes,” said 19-year-old fashion student Rhys.

Jade, 20, said that as a younger sister she was always used to owning second-hand clothes but now she enjoys it.

“There are so many thrift stores out there, just go and try some,” she said.

“I love spending time on this day and having fun.”