Second Hand September encourages us to shop in a greener light every year. Since it began, the campaign has converted thousands of consumers as they switch from shopping new to shopping pre-loved for September.
Unfamiliar with the concept? Oxfam started the pledge to make fashion lovers rethink the month usually associated with Fashion Week and shopping for a new season as autumn dressing begins.
Instead, the charity urges shoppers to say no to new clothes for 30 days to reduce our impact on the planet.
But why stop at 30? After 30 days of doing something differently, a new habit is formed, so why go back to new when you can opt to buy new-to-you instead? Here's how to make the change beyond the month of September.
Keep Clothes In The Loop
Focusing on extending the lifespan of pieces already in circulation as a solution to our need for newness is key. Lengthening the lifespan of a piece by just nine months can reduce its environmental footprint by up to 30 percent, says WRAP [a charity that encourages sustainability through re-use and recycling]." So even though you may have shopped secondhand, your impact doesn't end there. You can continue to make a difference by choosing how you extend the lifespan of your items.
Whether it be through swapping at our studio, renting through a platform or selling online, there are so many different options to help you re-home what you no longer wear. Rental and swapping fashion models eliminate the risk of panic buying for one occasion (for which Instagram has a lot to answer for) that feeds into the fast-fashion cycle.
Support sustainable brands
Now more than ever, it's so vital for brands and consumers to embrace sustainability.
Thankfully, many players in the fashion industry are listening to the needs of our planet and making greener choices. But it's not just fashion that has a part to play; as a consumer, you can choose brands that help you to curate a conscious lifestyle, stemming from your beauty products to household cleaning routine, even your choice of products for your baby! A personal favourite of mine is Kit & Kin.
If you don't know where to start, opting to shop through a marketplace is a simple way to get started. We are proud to partner with Counter Culture, which is at the forefront of creating a space for eco-friendly beauty brands that are positively impacting. They have supported our mission at Secondhand Styling for the last year, and we are big advocates of what the team is doing there!
Here are some of our favourite products!
Care For Your Clothes Properly
It's great to be shopping more sustainably, but all that effort is somewhat wasted if you aren't caring for your wardrobe in the best way. Remember, most clothes never get worn out; they get washed out. The most common reason as to why clothes lose their shape or quality is because we wash them too often or the wrong way, so make sure you are giving your clothes the TLC they deserve by checking our Care Guide.
