According to a WRAP report "clothing has the 4th largest environmental impact after housing, transport and food."  It also states that the demand for cheap and cheerful "fast fashion" has meant that the carbon footprint of the UK clothing industry is getting worse.¹

A glint of good news is the amount of clothing being sent to landfill has fallen by 14% from 350,000 tonnes in 2012 to 300,000 in 2016.  However, a quarter of all new clothing is still being sent to landfill rather than being recycled. Plus, the volumes of new clothes purchased rose by nearly 200,000 tonnes to 1.13 tonnes in 2016.

So, how can we avoid binning our clothes once we've grown out of love with them?

We have four options:

• SELL - there are so many options these days to sell your unwanted clothes: ebay, gumtree, car boot sales, Facebook sites, NCT nearly new sales for kids and maternity clothes to name a few...

• DONATE  - local charity shops are always in need of new stock.  If you really don't have the time or inclination to deliver to charity shops (or recycling centres) then Clothes Aid will pick them up from your door step.  Clothes Aid regularly post bags to many UK households and are happy to drop and collect to anyone - just ring 0207 288 8645 or use their contact form if you'd like some bags.

• SWAP - while this can be undertaken on a small scale with a group of friends, Clothes Swaps or "Swishing" have also blossomed into many much larger events around the UK.  If you fancy swapping, then come to Herefordshire's very own Clothes Swap - more details below.

• RECYCLE - clothes and fabrics that are no longer fit for re-use, i.e. ripped or threadbare, can still be donated for recycling fibre and go into a textile recycling bank.  Details of clothing recycling banks can be found here. I was surprised to find out how many there are in Herefordshire!

So, it feels like there really is no excuse to bin your unwanted clothes and fabrics.

Herefordshire's great clothes swap!

If you'd like to clear your clutter, upgrade your wardrobe and do it all without spending a penny, then join us for monthly Clothes Swaps at the Kindle Centre, ASDA, Hereford.  The first one is taking place on Saturday 18th August 2018, following by further swaps on Saturday 15 September and 13 October.

We're grateful to our partners the Kindle Centre and Herefordshire Green Network for enabling us to include a Clothes Swap during their Made Do & Mend events taking place over the next few months.

Click here for more details. 

¹ WRAP's report: "Valuing our Clothes: the cost of UK Fashion." July 2017.