Buying just one pair of jeans and a t-shirt second-hand could help save the equivalent of 20,000 standard bottles of water, new Oxfam analysis reveals.
The findings come as Oxfam launches its sixth Second Hand September campaign to encourage people to shop preloved and donate their unwanted clothes to help reduce the need for new clothes. The garment industry has an enormous water footprint that is straining the planet’s limited water resources. The total water footprint of clothing used in the UK annually is eight billion cubic metres, enough to meet the water consumption of the entire UK population for two years. Globally, 93 billion cubic metres of water are used by the fashion industry annually – enough to fill 37 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Oxfam’s analysis reveals that producing just one cotton t-shirt requires the equivalent of 5,400 standard 500ml bottles of water to make – enough to meet the drinking needs of 1,600 people in one day, according to NHS standards. Producing a pair of jeans requires 16,000 bottles of water — enough to meet the drinking needs of 4,750 people for a day.
Lorna Fallon, Oxfam’s Retail Director, said: “It is clear from these statistics that we are drowning in fashion. Given the world is running short of fresh water due to climate change, the water-intensive cost of clothes production could be vitally reduced if we mixed up our wardrobes with second-hand purchases.
“By recirculating our clothes – buying, wearing and donating second-hand – we can help to reduce the demand for new clothes. And this could in turn help to reduce the damage to our planet. What’s more, you can find amazing, stylish and budget-friendly outfits when you shop pre-loved, while also helping to raise vital funds to help tackle poverty and inequality around the world.”
Since it launched in 2019, Oxfam’s Second Hand September has helped thousands of people to shop more sustainably by encouraging people to shop pre-loved and help reduce the impact of the fashion industry on the planet.
TV presenter and actress Cat Deeley is fronting Oxfam’s Second Hand September campaign this year.
Cat Deeley said: “I absolutely adore shopping second-hand, so it is such a pleasure for me to be a part of Oxfam’s Second Hand September. Wherever I go in the world, I will always find charity shops and treasure-hunt to find the most gorgeous, preloved pieces. I love that with shopping second-hand, you can find something completely unique, which no one else has, that you can customise and also feel really good about wearing, knowing the money has gone to a good cause and you’re giving those clothes a second chance of life. Second-hand absolutely does not mean second best!”
Oxfam’s Second Hand September encourages people to extend the life of their clothes by choosing second-hand stylish outfits that don’t cost the earth. As part of this year’s campaign, Oxfam will be again one of the opening shows of London Fashion Week on 12 September with a celebrity-packed runway show Style for Change, featuring the finest pre-loved clothing and dressed by the pioneer of second-hand fashion, stylist Bay Garnett.
As a key partner for Oxfam’s Second Hand September, Vinted – the leading online marketplace dedicated to second-hand fashion – is on a mission to make second-hand first choice worldwide. By teaming up with Oxfam, Vinted is helping to spotlight the beauty and accessibility of pre-loved clothing, making it easier than ever for people to embrace responsible fashion. Their support of Oxfam’s campaign, including the Style for Change runway show at London Fashion Week, underscores the joint commitment to transforming how we shop and think about fashion, ensuring that second-hand becomes the first choice worldwide.
People can style for change this September by pledging to shop second-hand and donating preloved clothes to Oxfam. Find out more at https://www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/second-hand-september/
