There was a pre-loved fashion event at the Guildhall today put on by One Planet Abingdon.
Outside in Roysse Court were a number of stalls selling pre-loved clothes. There were also rails of pre-loved clothes in the Magistrates Court.
The event included a ‘Wear It Out’ Sustainable Fashion Show in the afternoon, and the Roysse Room was set up for that.
Upstairs in the Abbey Room there were lessons on repairing and patching clothes, how to make and use natural dyes, turning T-shirts into bags, art displays, and other information.
In the Bear Room a group were doing crochet.
In the foyer were displays, including a creative chart titled ‘Why talk about sustainable fashion?’
1. The amount of clothes being produced is increasing
* Fast fashion brands are producing twice the amount of clothes today than in 2000. (Earth.org)
* The average consumer now buys 60% more clothing than they did 15 years ago. (Earth.org)
2. Fast fashion is hurting the planet
* Textile production contributes more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined. (House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, 2019)
* The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions. (Morgan McFall-Johnsen (2020))
* Buying just one white cotton shirt produces the same amount of emissions as driving 35 miles in a car. (WRAP)
3. Sustainability isn’t built into the system
* Less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing at the end of its life. (House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, 2019)
* Half a million tons of plastic microfibres are dumped into the ocean every year, the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles. (World Economic Forum)
* Of the 100 billion garments produced each year, 92 million tonnes end up in landfills (Earth.org)
4. It’s time for change
* Extending the life of clothes by just 9 months of active use would reduce carbon, water and waste footprints by 20–30% each. (WRAP)
* 75% of consumers believe that sustainability is important and one-third are willing to choose brands that help environmental and social improvement. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
What can we do?
* Reduce the number of clothes you buy (love what you have).
* Repair clothes you already own so that they last longer (keep your favourite jeans even after there are holes in them!)
* Find creativity in visible mending (make your repair a personal work of art.)
* Buy quality garments that last (feel good and look good).
* Buy pre-loved (saving clothes from an early exit to landfill).
* Get savvy about synthetic fibres (mixed fibres are hard to recycle, aim for biodegradable).
* Help put pressure on government (support campaigns by Transform Trade, Oxfam and Wrap).
Earlier this spring, perennial plants were introduced as part of a move away from traditional seasonal bedding. The scheme, developed by the Grounds Maintenance and Climate and Biodiversity teams at VWHDC (Vale of White Horse District Council), replaces short-lived annual displays with longer-lived, drought-tolerant planting designed to support wildlife and improve resilience and reduce maintenance.
