Lynne McCrossan: Our throwaway attitude just doesn’t add up
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So when I heard that one billion tonnes of clothing simply gets chucked away into landfill each year I shuddered at the thought.
This frightening figure was trotted out last week as both Marks and Spencer and Oxfam introduced “shwaping” across their stores.
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Hide AdEach time you buy a new item they encourage you to drop off something old at the same time, which they’ll recycle.
Simple.
It’s a commendable concept but it really made me wonder how wasteful we’ve actually become.
I may be mocked for the sentimental hold clothes have over me but at least I value what I’ve bought.
We’re in recession, everyone is feeling stretched financially to some degree, yet one billion tonnes of clothing were scrapped in the UK alone without a second thought.
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Hide AdChannelling a little Carol Vorderman, I had to find out exactly how much that meant when put in monetary terms.
The average “cash for clothes” stores are pricing a kilo of clobber at 65p.
There are 1000 kilograms in a tonne at a cost of £650. Times that by one billion, and we’d be out of recession two times over with plenty spare cash left to treat ourselves to a new wardrobe.
It’s just straightforward economics.
FASHION INSIDER
Bargain hunters at the ready, Funk Fair is back and scheduled for May 12 at Christ Church Hall, Holy Corner, Bruntsfield. It has everything from clothing to furniture and is a rummager’s dream. You will be seeing me there knee deep in vintage treats!