Join us in supporting Oxfam’s Second-Hand September campaign.
Hollie from Thrifty Mum has been rallying the community to get involved in this campaign. Here’s more about it and why we’re taking part.
I’m joining in with #secondhandseptember because I want to do my bit to reduce our impact on the environment. We live in such a wasteful society and we don’t have an infinite space for landfill. Mindsets need to change or the decision will be made for us. This is a good start!#SecondHandSeptember is a campaign run by the charity Oxfam to raise awareness of the impact of fast fashion. They’re looking for people to take a 30 day pledge to SAY NO to buying new clothes. You can sign up here.
Every week 11 million items of clothes end up in landfill. Throwaway fashion is putting increasing pressure on our planet and its people. Oxfam wants to change the way we shop and focus on buying secondhand as a way of reducing waste clothing and the resources required to make new clothes.
From growing the cotton to make the denim, to the dyeing process to get the right shade of blue, it can take an estimated 20,000 litres of water to make just one pair of jeans and one t-shirt. According to Oxfam, “To put this into perspective, it would take more than 13 years to drink this amount of water!”
Listen to Hollie and fellow money blogger Faith Archer talk to UKMB founder Andy Webb about Second-hand September on the Cash Chats podcast.
The UK Money Blogger community are taking part in the #SecondHandSeptember campaign and help raise the awareness that Oxfam is aiming to make.
Here are their reasons why:
Hollie from www.ThriftyMum.com
I decided to lead on the UK Money Bloggers getting involved with #SecondHandSeptember as we have a massive collective reach and if we all join together with one voice, we can make a huge difference. We are in a privileged position to influence many social media users and together we can be a force for good.
The campaign is a pledge to not buy new clothes for only 30 days, which many people on a budget will find easy to do. However I hope that this will get more conversations started about the importance of where we spend the money we do have. I hope for more people to shop mindfully and consider the impact their purchasing habits have on the environment and the textile factory workers and their families.
I also hope the campaign will reduce the stigma that is still attached to buying secondhand clothing. You get to help a charity, reduce the impact on the planet, rummage for something unique and save money at the same time. Why wouldn’t you shop secondhand?!
Cass from www.frugalfamily.co.uk
I want to join in with #SecondHandSeptember to teach my teenager that fast fashion isn’t the way forward. I want her to learn to love the thrill of finding a bargain in a charity shop and to learn that you don’t need to spend a fortune on new clothes when you can buy pre-loved and support a charity at the same time.
Faith from www.muchmorewithless.co.uk
I’m looking forward to taking part in Second Hand September as I’m a big fan of buying clothes from charity shops. It means I can find better quality clothes for far less than full price, knowing the proceeds go to a good cause. It’s also brilliant to extend the life of existing resources and prevent stuff going to landfill. Save money, save the planet, support charities – what’s not to like?
Becky from www.thrifty-home.co.uk
I’m so excited about second hand September you can find amazing treasures second hand -save money and landfill and support a charity too!
Lynn from www.mrsmummypenny.co.uk
I am excited to be taking part of #secondhandseptember. The summer months have seen higher spending, its time to cut back! I have an amazing charity shop in my village which I love rummaging through. Also very important to me is the environmental impact of #fastfashion. I recently discussed this on BBC News, and how we as consumers can act to combat fast fashion.
Claire from www.dailydealsblog.co.uk
I have taken the pledge to take part in #secondhandseptember- although I don’t buy a lot of clothes for myself, I am always buying new stuff for the kids. I have pledged to say no to new clothes for 30 days, for my whole family. Together we can make a difference to the amount of clothing that ends up in landfill, as well as saving a few £££s along he way! win-win.
Sian from www.littlemissfrugal.co.uk
I’m looking forward to Second Hand September! I’m a huge advocate of thrifty shopping, regularly buying from eBay and charity shops – not only does it save money but it saves waste, so many items have so much more life to give!
Emma from www.beemoneysavvy.com
I’m choosing to take part in #secondhandseptemberbecause I hate waste. Not only are you choosing to save money by buying second hand (often paying half the price or even less than the original) but you’re also reducing waste by giving these items a second chance and stopping them from ending up in the rubbish!
Fiona from www.savvyinsomerset.com
I’m excited to be taking part in #secondhandseptemberand to see what I can find to top up my autumn and winter wardrobe. Buying second-hand from charity shops has so many benefits – spending less money, getting better quality clothes, supporting charity and preventing clothes from going to landfill. It’s a brilliant initiative and I hope it makes people consider where their clothes come from and what they can do to lessen the impact on our planet.
Jennifer from www.monethalia.com
I take part in #secondhandseptemberbecause I’d like to reduce waste and set a sign against fast fashion. Secondhand clothes are often of so much better quality than new stuff and also cost less. I think it’s really important to raise awareness and #secondhandseptember is a great opportunity to do so.
Bronni from www.bronni.co.uk
I’m taking part in #SecondHandSeptemberbecause throwaway fast fashion is poor quality and it’s ending up in landfill. 57% of unwanted clothes end up in the bin, it’s worth it to give secondhand clothing a chance.
Zoe from www.ecothriftyliving.com
As an ambassador of #zerowasteweek which takes place in the first week of September, I think #secondhandseptemberis a great way to start off the month! I have saved so much money over the years, buying secondhand clothes and things for the kids. I love that it keeps things out of landfill for longer and that it reduces the demand for new things to be made, with all the environmental impact that goes along with it. We often find really nice things, that we wouldn’t find being sold new. Not only do we save money and the environment, but we also have fun buying secondhand!
Kirsty from Themoneysavingmum.com
I’m excited to participate in #secondhandseptemberbecause I would like to make it a habit to have the charity shop my first port of call for new clothes. I regularly give to charity rather than sell clothes that no longer fit but don’t really ever look at what they have in. I’m hoping this encourages me to not only contribute to charities in the form of donations but also monetary form too.
Eileen from www.yourmoneysorted.co.uk
By taking part in #secondhandseptemberI hope to encourage others to consider purchasing second hand goods. It’s a great way to save money, as well as saving our planet.
Nicola from www.mumonabudget.co.uk
I am participating in #secondhandseptember because I relish the challenge of updating my wardrobe without perpetuating the fast fashion epidemic.
Sonia from www.thetravelingauthor.com
I’m taking part in #secondhandseptemberbecause I want to take my support to the next level. Over the past 18 months I’ve been donating clothes consistently because I’ve lost almost 9 stone in weight. I’ve had to my a new wardrobe of clothes and still buying. I’d love to complete the cycle now by buying secondhand clothing. Before now I would have struggled to get clothes to fit me.
Jane from www.shoestringcottage.com
I’m taking part in #secondhandseptemberbecause I really want to raise awareness of the issues that fast fashion and our throwaway society is causing the planet. I have always bought a lot of second hand items, but recently started a second hand clothing business. It’s an eco friendly and sustainable way to make a living.
Hannah from www.everydayfreebiesandmore.co.uk
I’m taking part in #secondhandseptember because after just moving into our new house I’ve realised just how many clothes I have that I never wear, I want to let other people enjoy them and get wear out of them. Plus I think you can find some real statement wardrobe pieces for bargain prices buying second hand, and it cuts down on waste!
Hayley from www.missmanypennies.com
I’m excited to be taking part in Second Hand September! Before I had kids I managed a charity shop for a while and loved rummaging round and helping people find bargains as well as knowing the money was going to a great cause. Some of the nicest baby and toddler clothes I’ve bought since have been charity shop and second hand finds.
Lady Jane from https://ladyjaney.co.uk/
I’m joining in with #secondhandseptember because I want to do my bit to reduce our impact on the environment. We live in such a wasteful society and we don’t have an infinite space for landfill. Mindsets need to change or the decision will be made for us. This is a good start!
How you can take part
If you’re feeling inspired by the UK Money Blogger community, make sure you follow all of them on their social channel as we take part in our own challenge to post about the campaign every day in September.
Day one is to sign up to the pledge which you can do here.
