Oxfam launches Second Hand September campaign amid UK fashion waste findings

Oxfam has launched its annual ‘Second Hand September’ campaign, supported by actor Richard E. Grant, to encourage sustainable fashion habits such as buying pre-loved clothing and donating unwanted items.

A new ‘State of Style’ report from the charity reveals shifting consumer behaviors in the UK. The research indicates that 57% of UK adults deliberately attempted to buy fewer clothes over the past year. However, issues with clothing waste persist; approximately one-third of items in an average UK wardrobe have not been worn in the last year, and 40% of people reported wearing an item only once.

The report specifically highlights the West Midlands as having the highest rate in the country for single-use clothing purchases, with 49% of shoppers in the region buying items for one occasion only. Additionally, 22% of people in the West Midlands reported throwing away unwanted clothes rather than repairing, donating, or reselling them.