environmental facts

 

• The energy required to collect, process and sell a reused item of clothing is only 2 per cent of the energy required to manufacture a new garment. 1

 

• The clothing and textile sector in the UK is responsible for more than 3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. 1

 

• Annually the UK consumes 2.16 million tonnes of clothing and textile products and spends approximately £38.4 billion on clothing. 2

 

• Of the textiles that are discarded to the householder waste bin, nationally 43% is reusable. 2

 

• Approximately 1.5 to 2 million tonnes of clothing and textile waste is generated in the UK each year, of which 1.2 million tonnes (63%) is currently disposed of to landfill. 2

 

• 2 million tonnes of textile waste (inc. clothing, carpets and footwear) is generated annually (of which approx 1 million is clothing). 2

 

• 24% (523k tonnes) is collected for reuse and recycling in the UK and overseas. 2

 

• C02 savings from textile recycling is second only to aluminium – reusing clothes conveys a greater benefit to the environment. 1

• British women own an average of 14 unused items costing an average of £21.82 a piece, totalling just over £305. 3

 

• UK Government statistics show that there are 2.4 billion pieces of clothing unworn for an entire 12 months (many possibly brand new) cluttering up the national wardrobe, which adds up to a whopping £10 billion worth of unused clothes, shoes, bags etc. 4

 

• Landfill space in Britain will run out in less than eight years unless recycling rates are boosted and the amount of rubbish dumped in the ground is reduced. 5

 

• Households in the UK send more than 18.8 million tonnes of rubbish to landfill every year - 2 million tonnes more than any other country in the European Union. 5

 

1. Taken from 'Five eco-crimes we commit every day' by Dave S. Reay, New Scientist, 1 December 2009.

2. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

3. Survey by Churchill Home Insurance.

4. YouGov

5.  London Government Association, July 2010