What’s #Second Hand September? No new clothes for 30 days?!

September is the month that signals new beginnings. Vacations and hot summer days are over, the weather is getting colder. This may mean that its time for fresh new outfits for autumn and winter. Why not freshen up your wardrobe in ways that will not have a lasting impact on our planet?

What is #Secondhand September ?

#SecondhandSeptember is a campaign started by Oxfam to encourage people to avoid buying clothing for the entire 30 days this month. 

Why participate in #SecondhandSeptember?

Throwaway fashion is unsustainable and it puts a strain on our planet each year. Research by Oxfam has found that in the UK alone, approximately 13 million items of clothing have ended up in landfills each day.  Now, this is where #SecondHandSeptember comes in – an initiative for you to avoid buying new clothes for a month i.e. 30 days! If everyone in the UK for example took part in Second Hand September the country would save the same amount of emissions as flying a plane around the world 900 times!

While changing our shopping habits should be long-term, this campaign is here for us to rethink the way we use our garments. 

On a side note, there are plenty of ways you get involved in this initiative:

#1 Have a wardrobe clear-out 

Now is the perfect time to have the long overdue wardrobe clear out that you meant to do, like last year?  We often wear only 30% of the items we have in our entire wardrobe. 

Want a clutter-free wardrobe with items that you will definitely wear frequently? Take out the garments that you no longer wear to open up some more space in your wardrobe. Once you have picked out the garments you wish to get rid of, you can consider giving them away to friends/family or donating them to charity shops. Alternatively, you can sell your garments in a variety of online platforms. Here are some of Renoon’s partners:

• The Next Closet
• Vestiaire Collective
• Ebay

#2 Take good care of the clothes that you already own 

It is important to take good care of the clothes you own in order to make them last longer. For instance, washing your clothes according to the care instructions and storing them in a cool and dry environment can make a massive difference in how long a garment can last! Extending the average lifespan of your garments (2.2 years) by just three months of use per item can reduce carbon, water, and waste footprints by 5-10%, according to Wrap.

Want to know the various ways you can take good care of your clothes? Have a read at this article: 8 ways to take care of your clothes and make them last longer.

#3 Have a clothing swap with friends and family 

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, right? Some of the garments that your friends would like to get rid of could be something that you would love to have in your wardrobe! Consider this option before donating and selling your items.

#4 Upcycle!

Look at your old garments from a whole new perspective by upcycling them! With a little DIY, you can transform your old t-shirts into crop tops, tie-dye some old tops, or even sew some customized embroidery to your worn-out denim jackets.

#5 And of course, shop second hand! 

Buying second hand or vintage can allow you to express your personal style creatively.  You are given the opportunity to find rare pieces by your favorite brands or even some sought-after vintage gems. From an environmental standpoint, buying second hand reduces textile waste, greenhouse gas emissions, and saves water! 

Start your search for pre-owned fashion from multiple websites at once