STARS have united to combat fashion peril after it emerged Brits will splash out £3.5 BILLION on new clothes for the Christmas party season this year – but eight million items will ONLY BE WORN ONCE.
Research by Oxfam shows that 65% of Brits will buy at least one new item of clothing for the Christmas party season, splashing out an average of £106 each.
But a quarter (24%) of those say they will only wear the item once over the festive period – leaving clothes to fester in wardrobes or end up in landfill.
Kate Moss, Una Healy, Ellie Goulding, Killing Eve star, Jodie Comer, and designer Stella McCartney are some of the celebrities who have donated partywear to Oxfam.
They are supporting the charity’s sustainable partywear campaign encouraging people to shop for second-hand fashion this Christmas rather than always buying new.
Ellie Goulding, who donated a stunning designer outfit including a little black Isabel Marant dress, said: “I’m donating pieces from my wardrobe and hoping to pick up something amazing in their place!
“Follow Oxfam’s lead and when you fall out of love with an outfit, let someone else fall in love with it. Source your new look from Oxfam too, and you’re showing maximum respect for clothes, the planet and style. With Oxfam’s expertise at re-circulating our fashion, you will never fear the re-wear!”
Una Healy, (above)who donated a gorgeous shimmery evening gown said:
“I love dressing up at this time of year and while I love high street shops, I’ll be making sure I have a look at the Oxfam Online shop too. I’ve donated a party dress this year, but there are some amazing bargains to be had. It’s a huge treasure trove of vintage, sparkly and one-off pieces and you can do your bit for those living in poverty too.”
The Oxfam Online Shop and the charity’s 610 high street shops are stocked with partywear that slows down fast fashion by giving clothes a second chance to be sold. The charity’s unique textile recycling operation means none of the donated clothes, whatever the quality, end up in landfill.
Oxfam’s Fee Gilfeather said: “The figures revealed by this research are staggering, and it is vital clothes don’t just go to waste. Oxfam is the right destination for ethical fashion lovers, because our shops are stocked with glamourous pieces which help save the planet and raise money for the world’s poorest people to access clean water, food and shelter.”
Fast fashion uses speed and low-cost production systems to deliver new clothes to the High Street inspired by the catwalk or celebrities.
It has been reported that one truck of textiles is wasted every second [1] and that the fashion industry is responsible for 92m tonnes of waste dumped in landfill every year [2].[FG1]
Microfibre pollution and the toxic chemicals used in dying textiles to meet consumers’ appetite for fast fashion is also blamed for polluting our oceans.
But nearly seven in ten (69%) Scots say they won’t recycle last year’s Christmas party outfit, with 15% saying they don’t want to appear on social media wearing the same clothes 12 months later.
A tenth (10%) of people surveyed in Scotland say they will buy at least FIVE pairs of shoes for Christmas and five per cent say they will be buying four or more tops for family gatherings, the office party and Christmas Day itself.
The most important consideration for Scots buying a Christmas party outfit is that they will be able to wear it again (22%), it is a good fit (22%) and low price (13%).
Millennials aged 25-34 are the biggest consumers of fast fashion, with most (92%) saying they will buy at least one item of clothing over Christmas, spending an average of £183.
A third (34%) say they will wear their outfit just once compared to a quarter (25%) of people aged 18-25 and 19% of those aged 35-44.
Londoners push the boat out most when it comes to shopping for Christmas party outfits, splashing out an average of £176 compared to those in the east of England who spend £43 and Scots who spend an average of £71.09.
On average Scots throw away 16 items of clothing a year and have 24 items of clothing in their wardrobe that have not been worn for 12 months – with over a quarter (27%) saying this makes up more than half their wardrobe.
Millennials proved to be the most wasteful age group in the country when it comes to clothes, with an average of 51 items[FG2] going unworn – and throwing away an average of 52 items a year.
People aged 18-24 throw away an average of 34 items a year but are the most conscious of the effect on the environment, with 34% saying it makes them feel guilty.
A third (34%) of Scots say it never crosses their mind that clothes they throw away go straight to landfill sites while a tenth (11%) admit they are concerned – but do nothing about it.
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