Second Hand September

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Published on: Saturday September 6, 2025

Second Hand September

So, it is now officially Second Hand September. Each year, Oxfam launches this initiative to encourage us to shop more sustainably. How can we embrace this initiative?

Shop your own wardrobe. The changeover of the season from summer to autumn is the perfect time to look in your wardrobe and remind yourself of the gorgeous clothes you already have. Try outfits on and try new combinations of tops, blouses and blazers with your skirts and trousers to discover some fantastic new outfits for autumn.
If you find any clothes you haven’t worn for at least a year, it may be time to part company. Sell your unwanted clothes on Vinted or eBay or donate to charity to become someone else’s new much loved item of clothing.
Or arrange a clothes swap party for you and your friends – this would be a fun event and get together.
Browse your local charity shops – you will find some excellent bargains and be supporting a more sustainable way to add to your existing wardrobe.
If you do need some new clothes, think quality over quantity and look at sustainable brands in boutiques and on the High Street. Identify the gaps in your wardrobe and make a list to take shopping with you.
Buy wisely ensuring that any new items of clothing go with at least three existing items in your wardrobe.
If buying clothes from new, opt for natural fabrics such as cotton, wool, cashmere and bamboo. These fabrics are more comfortable to wear than synthetic fabrics and are much less polluting to manufacture into clothes. Plus, if clothing made out of natural fabrics do go to landfill, they break down in the soil much quicker than synthetic fabrics such as polyester, acrylic and nylon and again, are less polluting when they break down.
Think ‘buy less, wear more’ – make your wardrobe work hard for you by wearing the clothes you already have many times.
Finally, remember you can repair any garments and any that are beyond repair can be recycled. Charity shops offer recycling schemes that help them raise more money for their charity. Enquire about these schemes with your local charity shops.

Find out more about Oxfam’s Second Hand September here.

If you need any help with organising your wardrobe, please get in touch as I offer a Wardrobe Edit service that can be tailored to suit your requirements.

Second Hand September

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