Ultra-fast fashion is in the spotlight, as Recycle Devon encourages households to reduce clothing waste.
Fashion is big business, with around 45 per cent of people in the UK buy clothing at least once a month and around 13 per cent shop for clothing every week.*
Low prices have made fast fashion affordable for many, as one in four people regularly buy clothing with the intention of using it for only a short amount of time.
However, there are some simple changes you can make to help reduce clothing waste.
Recycle Devon is sharing tips and advice on how to style your wardrobe, to not only look good, but also feel good in terms of helping the planet:
Tips include:
- Extend the life of clothes by taking care when washing/drying/ironing and removing stains.
- Repair at home, with simple hacks or take clothes to a Repair Café.
- Upcycle – get creative and have fun or even have a go at making your own clothes.
- Avoid impulse buys.
- Choose to rent instead from local rental shops or online rental platforms.
- Arrange a clothes swap with friends, family or in your local community.
- Buy preloved from Charity Shops, Facebook Market groups or Online platforms (and sell)
- If buying new, choose quality over quantity.
- Donate unwanted, good quality clothing to local Charity Shops, clothing banks, via home collections or postal systems.
The fashion industry is one of the world’s most polluting sectors, consuming the equivalent of 86 million Olympic-sized swimming pools each year, and using thousands of chemicals that are harmful to human health and ecosystems.
It is also responsible for up to eight per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it the second largest polluter after the oil industry.
Reducing clothing waste helps minimise carbon emissions, as well as conserving water and taking the pressure off land and biodiversity.

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