Figures suggest that the total ethical consumer market – including food, drinks, clothing, energy and eco-travel – has increased to over £41 billion ($54 billion USD). Charity shop sales have also multiplied four-fold from £133m to £732m in 20 years as many more people are buying vintage and second-hand clothing.
When charity organization Oxfam introduced Second Hand September last year, over 62,000 people took the pledge to only buy second-hand clothing. This idea came about following research revealing that the carbon footprint of new clothes bought in the UK every minute is larger than driving a car around the world six times.
The Second Hand September campaign is designed to raise awareness about the impact of fast fashion on both the planet and garment workers. Oxfam is asking consumers to only buy second-hand clothes for the month of September and to share their pledge on social media using #SecondHandSeptember and tag @OxfamGB.
Following her wildly successful BBC TV show ‘I May Destroy You’, BAFTA award-winning actor and screenwriter Michaela Coel has turned her hand to fashion and is the new face of Oxfam’s Second Hand September.
Coel has always made strong, independent choices regarding fashion. She chose to wear a dress made with Ghanaian kente cloth for her first red carpet moment, the 2016 Baftas. (She won two of the three categories in which she was nominated for her breakout series Chewing Gum)
“I’m honoured to be the face of Oxfam’s Second Hand September campaign this year,” Coel said in a statement. “When presented with the data from Oxfam on the impact of fast fashion I felt compelled to add my voice to this cause. I hope it raises awareness and encourages us to reflect on our buying habits and to consider how small changes can have a huge impact on the environment – and in turn the fight against poverty.”
To shop for second-hand clothing, visit Oxfam’s online store.
All images in this article are courtesy of Oxfam.
