What To Do With Your Unwanted Clothes

Have a plethora of clothes you don't wear anymore? This post shares some tips on what to do with your unwanted clothes. With an estimate of £140m of clothing ending in landfill every year, finding ways to reduce this has never been so important.

DONATE TO A CHARITY

There are both benefits and possible negatives in donating clothes to a charity. On the one hand, the clothing you donate could potentially be sold in store and offer the charity money to support programmes. However, one attribute to donating clothes to charity, which has become apparent is the possibility that it may end in landfill. According to The Environmental Protection Agency, it has been found that when clothes are donated, 84 percent of our clothing ends up in either landfill or an incinerator. On this note, it isn't necessarily a bad thing to donate your clothes to a charity, as it still has other benefits. If you can find alternative ways of giving your clothes a new life, perhaps try out different avenues on your venture to clearing out your wardrobe!

SELL ONLINE

To kill two birds with one stone, selling your clothes online can give your unwanted items a new life, plus an opportunity for you to earn some money, it's a win win! There are a variety of apps available for you to upload your clothes to and sell to others, such as Depop and Vinted. Another platform which can be effective is Ebay, giving you the opportunity to sell at a set price or the option for others to bid competitively. Alternatively, social media lovers have highlighted items of clothing they want to sell on their Instagram Stories, inviting other users to buy.

OFFER TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY

An easy alternative would be to offer your unwanted clothes to friends and family. This would be perfect for clothing items that are outgrown but still in very good condition, such as baby clothing. If other family or friends have items they wish to dispose of, why not try out a clothes swap? Sharing clothes with friends and family may give you fresh ideas on how to style a particular fit, which can be a creative activity to share.

RENTING

If you don't wish to part with your clothes but don't wear them often, why not expand into renting your clothing. This has recently become popular, partially with special occasion events where outfits are only required once. Someone looking to rent a garment can enjoy a new item of clothing, without feeling guilty about continuously purchasing something new. If this is at the avenue you might take, ensure that the quality of your clothing is in perfect condition, encouraging your customers to rent from you again and again.

UPCYCLE THEM INTO SOMETHING ORIGINAL

Fancy learning a new hobby in 2022? Why not take a chance on updating your clothes by revamping them. Perhaps you could try mending a small issue with or garment or venture out into pattern cutting to construct a completely new garment.

Hopefully one of these options sound interesting to you as you head into a new organising your wardrobe. Good luck!

Sabrina Cowper | Reform Your Fashion