Cheap, throwaway fashion accounts for up to 30% of the waste at some landfill sites in the UK, according to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
The proportion of textile waste dumped at council tips has risen from 7% to 30% in five years, raising concerns about sustainability.
“It is presenting real challenges, because these materials are not easily recyclable” said Michael Jack, the MP who chairs the committee.
The Primark effect
Staff at a waste-disposal site in south London have already labelled the problem the “Primark effect”. Many of the garments are made from synthetic materials which cannot be easily recycled and are being worn just a few times before being thrown out.
“The whole notion of throwaway fashions needs to be re-examined. People may want something that is fashionable, but they should also be thinking about whether what they are buying will last” Michael Jack MP added after the hearing.
One store is taking a stand on the issue. Asda said at the hearing that it would be repositioning its George range of value clothing.
Fast Fashion
“We are moving away from fast fashion. We did a survey with our customers at the beginning of the year. They said they are now making product choice decisions around quality and value for money” Asda spokesman, Julian Walker-Palin said.
“They are shopping for wardrobe essentials rather than fast fashions, which tend to be impulse buys. So we have completely changed our brand offer on our George clothing to reflect that.”
That’s good news from Asda, but what can we do about throwaway fashion?
Charity shops
One thing we can – and really should – do, to avoid throwaway fashion ending up in landfill, is take it to a charity shop when it’s no longer wanted.
Charity shops have been hit by the boom in cheap clothing stores like Primark – sales of used (or secondhand) clothes has slumped and with it the money that supports many good causes.
By taking unwanted clothes to your nearest charity shop you’re saving them from landfill, giving others a chance to wear them and helping to support whichever charity you choose.
Tell us what you think
We’d love to hear your views about throwaway fashion! Is it worth the price to the environment? Read what others have said and tell us what you think in the comments below.
17 comments… read them below or add yours now
Sometimes, I find that charity shops are just overloaded with clothes – though I believe they can still get money for them by selling them for recycling into fiber, for paper I think. Personally, I prefer to give mine away on a recycling site (freecycle comes to mind, though I use a different one). I live in a non-affluent area of the US and I find there’s no shortage of takers whenever I offer a bag of used clothes. Whatever people do, they should never, never, just throw their old clothes in the trash. It’s a sin.
You could also repurpose clothes – use the fabric to make other things. There are a lot of folk on Etsy and the like who do just that!
@Syd: Thanks for sharing your views. Giving unwanted clothes away on Freecycle, or similar sites, is a great alternative. Anything but landfill!
@Meg: Thanks to you too. Repurposing clothes and fabrics seems to be gaining popularity. Etsy’s a great place to find repurposed (or upcycled) stuff. Check out Amy Quarry for some clever ideas ;-)
Twitter: @myzerowaste
Great post on a very topical issue. I don’t tend to follow the latest trends – beauty comes from within and all that and I’ve learned that new clothes doesn’t change the way I feel inside.
Regarding getting rid of clothes I don’t need any longer – I either give them to a charity shop, as mentioned, Freecycle them or put them in a textiles bank: better quality clothes are used and others are sorted into remaking into fabrics or cut up into cloths.
Another fun way to get a new wardrobe is to “swish” – a swapping party with friends :)
I think with some people buying clothes is an addiction instead of a necessity. I tend to buy better quality clothes which I then take to charity shops when I am finished. You can often get better quality clothes in charity shops too. There has been a fascinating 15 minute prog (x5) on Radio 4 this week about recycling (available on bbc i player) called ‘A load of rubbish’.
@Mrs Green: Thanks for your very helpful contribution and a whole load of ideas on what to do with old clothes. I haven’t heard of “swish” parties before – sounds like a great idea – does it work with a male/female mix? LOL ;-)
@Diane: Thanks for participating in the discussion and raising the point that buying new clothes is sometimes addictive – fuelled, in part, by the fashion industry and the availability of cheap clothes which encourages the throwaway fashion culture.
I like to keep up with fashion but I’m not obsessive about it and I NEVER buy cheap tat from Primark and places like that. I also like to hunt out bargains in charity shops , you can get some cool clothes for just a few quid if you check your local shops regularly (cos the good stuff goes quick).
I’ve heard of swish parties like Mrs Green said but not tried it yet, maybe I’ll organise one with my friends at Uni. There’s more info about re-using and swapping clothes on BBC Thread which is where I heard about it and from Twiggy’s Frock Exchange on TV.
Upcycling by re-using/re-purposing fabrics into new items is a great way to cut down on landfill waste and create unique items. When selecting clothing at a second-hand, thrift shop, or garage sale, look for items that have a large area of unseamed fabric such as pants, men’s dress shirts, draperies and sheets. My personal favorites are pajama pants. These often have great prints and a lot of usable fabric. Don’t forget to keep the buttons too!
@Katy: As ever, thanks for contributing to the discussion. It sounds like swishing is quite popular – maybe more of a ‘girly thing’ though, I can’t imagine many guys doing it (let me know if I’m wrong, anyone).
@Erin: Welcome to Green Pepper and thanks for sharing your views. Repurposing old clothes and fabrics is a great way of avoiding landfill. I love what you’ve done with repurposed fabrics, on your site ;-)
Great post Green Pepper!
I visited Primark in London for the first time last year while visiting and was shocked how cheap it was, considering how expensive London is! Thus, I can understand why people are attracted to it. I personally try to buy more “classic” looking clothes which last longer because they are sort of always in fashion. But I 100% agree that fashion trends are a big environmental problem. Not just from a waste stand point but also from a production stand point too!
@Carmen: Welcome to Green Pepper and thanks for sharing your views. As you say, cheap fashions are attractive to some people but “classic” styles don’t go out of fashion and are much better value for money.
I agree with Carmen, classic styles last much longer. They never go out of fashion really :)
Teachers Need Your Help!
Ever wonder what to do with the “stuff” that is left-over when you finish an art project. Stuff like yarn, felt, colorful buttons, colored pencils, paper scraps with interesting designs, fabric – those things just a bit too small to use. Well, here’s an idea! Why not donate them to a school. Primary teachers, like myself, are always looking for items to incorporate into their lessons. Varying the materials that are used to teach will provide a full sensory experience and make learning more hands-on and fun.
As a teacher, I try to recycle on a daily basis and teach my students about the importance and merits of recycling. Any items I have left-over from completed projects are donated to my school. It’s my way of doing something for our environment – it reduces the cost for the teacher and the kids have fun.
I currently teach at a Public Fine Arts Elementary School. We are always looking for donations. If it is “safe” to use, and isn’t nailed down, we’ll find a way to turn it into art.
If you are interested in donating your old buttons (any shape and size), that can be used by teachers at my school, please contact me at: Bagitup4me@gmail.com.
Cheers-
Neko
@Neko: Welcome to Green Pepper! Thanks for joining the discussion and sharing your ideas with us – another great way to reuse fabric and stuff that we no longer want or need ;-)
There is no reason to throw clothes away. The same fashions keep coming back in again so why not buy second hand clothes. Of course if clothes are better quality in the first place then they are much more likely to be recycled as second hand clothes
Thanks for this post! :-D
I like to Freecycle, Charity Shop, ebay or give unwanted clothes to friends or children for dressing up/school plays. My husband is a mechanic and he often makes old, worn out clothes into rags for his work, which are used until they’re almost shreds of fibres! I remember my mother used to make our old clothes into dusters too. They’re always good for something!
@Ceri: You’re so right! Things come back in fashion and good quality clothes last much longer than throwaway fashion. Thanks for sharing that with us.
@MinkMama: Welcome to Green Pepper and thanks for sharing your views. You’ve summed it up – there’s so much else we can do with our unwanted clothes instead of throwing them away. And my Mum did the same – making dusters from old or worn-out items. As you said, they’re always good for something!