Recycle Devon urges residents to make a pledge and ‘wear what you have’

Devon residents are being urged to breathe new life into their old clothes and ‘wear what you have’ to help reduce their carbon footprint and to pass on clothes they no longer want to keep them out of the bin.

By making at least one of a series of pledges, residents will be entered into a prize draw with a chance to win one of 10 Duronic Fabric De-Bobblers.

An estimated 10,000 items of clothing are thrown away in the UK every five minutes - and last year £2.7billion was spent on clothes that were worn just once.

Each household is estimated to have a wardrobe value of £4000, almost a third of which has not been worn for at least a year.

The ‘Wear what you have’ campaign seeks to encourage Devon’s residents to reduce the amount of clothes they buy, to extend the life of garments they already have and to donate clothing they no longer want.

By doing so, every one of us could save money and reduce our carbon footprint – WRAP, the waste charity, says that extending a garment’s lifespan by just by nine months could reduce its carbon footprint by as much as 30 per cent.

Wear it – I pledge to save money and use these inspiring ways to create a fresh look from clothes that I already have. Refashion and upcycle.
Repair it – I pledge to keep my clothes looking great for longer with these simple tips and tricks. Care and repair.
Donate it – I pledge to swap, donate or even sell my clothes to pass on the love for any unwanted items. Unwanted clothes.
Repurpose it – I pledge to make reusable kitchen roll, make-up wipes and much more from unwanted clothing and fabric. Repurpose it.

Councillor David Harvey, Chair of the Devon Authorities Strategic Waste Committee, said: “The most sustainable clothes are the ones you already own – so dig around the back of your cupboards and see if you have overlooked any forgotten gems. There are simple steps we can take to keep clothing in circulation for longer, such as taking care when washing, or passing on to others if no longer needed.

“Repairing clothing will also save you money and you may learn some new skills too.

“With the average lifespan of clothing being just over three years, wearing something for an extra nine months can significantly reduce its carbon footprint.

“And for those who like to change their wardrobe regularly, charity shops and pre-owned clothing is a great way to switch styles at a low cost.”

To make a pledge and enter the prize draw visit https://www.recycledevon.org/buy-less-wear-more