At LiveWest, we are Creating Greener Futures Together. We are working with our customers and partners to ensure sustainability lies at the heart of our organisation, shaping healthier futures across our communities.
Every month, we share some of our favourite green advice, to help our customers and colleagues live more sustainably.
This month is Second Hand September – an awareness campaign created by the charity Oxfam, to encourage people to shop second hand. Shopping second hand helps fight fast fashion, reducing waste and protecting the environment.
Here’s our advice for shopping second hand, in Second Hand September and beyond:
1. Visit your local charity shop, vintage shop, car boot sale or kilo sale and browse the items available.
Go in with a few ideas of the sorts of items you need, such as a new jumper, or a pair of sandals, but keep an open mind as you never know what items you will find!
2. Use apps such as Depop, Vinted, and eBay to shop second hand from home.
If you’re looking for something specific, shopping second hand online will be your best chance of finding it, as you can add filters to narrow your search.
3. Get measured and know your sizes before you go shopping.
Knowing your size can help you find clothes that will fit you faster, as many secondhand shops will organise their clothing by size.
When buying vintage clothing, keep in mind you may need a different size to usual as clothing measurements change over time - be prepared to try things on and see what fits.
4. Learn to repair and adjust clothing.
As well as giving you more flexibility with what you can buy, being able to repair and adjust clothing lets you enjoy your existing clothes for longer.
Whether your favourite skirt doesn’t fit quite right anymore, or your best jacket has a hole in it, adjusting and repairing your clothes means you can keep wearing and enjoying them for longer.
5. Try shopping out of season.
If you’re looking for seasonal item, try shopping for it out of season. For example, if you want a new coat, try looking for one in Spring or Summer as fewer people will be looking for coats at this time of year so there will be less competition for items and prices will be lower.
6. Organise a clothes swap with your friends and family.
You can get a new wardrobe without spending any money by swapping clothes you no longer wear with friends and family.
7. Remember, quality over quantity.
Even when shopping second hand, it is always best to choose a few good quality items, that you know will last and that you will get plenty of wear out of, over lots of unnecessary items. Choosing quality over quantity is a more affordable and sustainable way to shop.
Check out our other tips for shopping sustainably, on our Shopping green advice page.
