Every week, 13 million items of clothing end up in landfill. We live in a very wasteful and throwaway culture and Second Hand September is trying to help tackle this.
Not only is buying second hand a great way to save money but you also help save the planet because it’s not supporting fast fashion or increasing demand as the item already exists.
Here’s the video version of this blog post from the sister channel Save Like A Bear if you prefer:
So, what is Second Hand September?
Oxfam are running a campaign called Second Hand September encouraging people to only buy second hand clothing for the 30 days throughout September.
Nowadays, if a button is missing or a zip is broken, a lot of people think of throwing it out rather than mending it. We feel the need to buy a new outfit for almost every occasion only intending to wear it once and don’t stop to think about the environmental impact that it has:
Buying just one white cotton shirt produces the same amount of emissions as driving 35 miles in a car.
Although this campaign/challenge runs for 30 days, it might encourage you to buy more second hand items in general, past September. Turning to charity shops and second hand sites first when looking to buy something can save huge pots of money and drastically reduces fast fashion consumption.
You can expand this idea and challenge yourself to buy nothing new at all that doesn’t represent an investment to you. Read how to get free stuff to find out more, or how to get free food to help decide your priorities.
If you want to support Second Hand September, go to Oxfam’s dedicated webpage and sign up (for free) to their mailing list. Make sure to use the hashtag #SecondHandSeptember on Facebook and Twitter and also tag @OxfamGB in any posts.
Whether you buy a top for 50p in your local charity shop or purchase a designer item for half it’s original price on eBay, it counts. The campaign is about not buying new from the store. Secondhand sellers have plenty of brand new items with the tags still on just because the original buyer no longer wanted them for whatever reason.
If Second Hand September has got you thinking about the things you no longer want and would like to offer second hand to other people, click here to learn how to sell your unwanted things and make money! It’s a great feeling knowing the items you no longer love are going to be enjoyed by someone else.
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