You can feel it as well can you? The feeling that everything is getting better. It is getting warmer, there are less clouds in the sky (won’t say all, this is the UK after all) and it is nearly that time to pack your suitcase, hear the classic British joke of let me hide in your case and jet off to warmer climates (if you can get through the airports, passport queues, baggage handler strikes and general lack of genuine flights available that is).
So you’ve planned that far, you are confident you’re getting on a flight and will waltz through airport security and wake up in a hot country for a fortnight of sun, relaxation and Fanta Lemon.
But what will you take to wear? Obviously you want to wear something that shows off your individual style right? Something different that will turn people’s heads? A new piece or two that will look good but also be socially responsible?
There is only one option. Second hand clothing.
Obviously you’ll want some nice new swim shorts, bikinis and flip-flops, but what about for the evening or taking a walk down the beach?
There are literally thousands of charity shops in the UK that can help you here. All of the clothes that are in the charity shops are second hand have been donated by members of the public who have done the conscious thing and donated their clothes instead of resigning them to a landfill.
You can find a great bargain in a charity shop that looks great and is individual, from clothes that are nearly new that are just not wanted or clothes that are retro and haven’t been seen on a peg for a couple of decades, there is something for everyone.
Why should I buy second hand clothes from a charity shop?
The environment
According to Planet Radio around 360,000 tonnes of reusable and recyclable clothes are wasted in the UK each year! 360,000 tonnes! That is 3,600 Boeing 747s worth of clothes. All of that ends up in a landfill each year when it could have been reused by others. The average amount of water that it takes to produce the amount of cotton for one T-shirt is 740 gallons! A T-shirt generally only weighs around 85 grams.
That means 4,235,294,117 T-shirts are being wasted each year, which also means a ridiculous amount of water is being wasted to! And this is just in the UK alone.
Buying second hand means you can help to save one of the planet’s most important natural resources.
It is different to the fashion you’ll find in other shops
Wherever you find your thrifting needs, you are sure to find an Aladdin’s Cave of treasures at the fraction of the price of what you will find at a high street shop. From up-cycled clothes to retro and vintage fashion, you won’t find anything like the originals on the high street.
It’s what the celebs are doing
If you are one who like to follow celebrity culture and have a favourite Love Island contestant, then you will be glad to hear that this year they are partnering with eBay to dress their contestants in second hand clothing instead of spanking new gear.
If your favourite contestant can wear second hand on TV, what is stopping you wearing it on your holiday?
You can be helping a good cause
If you buy your clothes from a charity shop, it means you are not only helping the planet, finding something cool to wear on holiday but also helping a good cause out. Sales from a charity shop means that the charity can support those who are most in need.
Proceeds go towards the campaigns and projects they are running which make a difference around the UK.
So along with looking stylish, your conscience-o-metre could be reading off the chart with the amount of good you are doing by simply just buying something second hand.
So wherever you end up on your holiday and whatever style you go for, have a think before you head to a big high street brand to stock on your summer clothes. There is always the second-hand option that is sure to make a mark. And once the winter months roll around again too soon, you can re-donate your clothes to a charity that need them.
