Belfast Oxfam store wants students to take part in Second Hand September
Órla Mallon
Oxfam’s “second hand September” initiative is a movement that has gained a larger following every year since its launch in 2019. In the two years that have followed, it has grown into a national campaign with thousands taking part each year, pledging to buy no new clothes for September. Sounds simple, but in an age of cheap and accessible fast fashion and ever shorter fashion cycles, this is a pledge that has an impact bigger than you might think.
The fashion industry is one of the world’s leading polluters – more than 13 million items of clothing are sent to landfill every week. The second hand September campaign aims to prove that affordable clothing doesn’t need to be harmful.
Oxfam Fountain Street’s Tra Walls explains: “The purpose of second hand September is to support Oxfam Ireland’s objective in promoting our sustainability message and highlight how Oxfam shops extend the life of textiles as well as providing a solution to help reduce the harmful effects of fast fashion on our planet.”
Making this minor change creates huge environmental impact, and Walls explains how even during the past year in dealing with lockdowns, buying second hand has still had a positive impact, even with only 33 weeks of trading. “We managed to divert 14,775 tonnes [of clothing] from landfill … clothes can take over 200 years to decompose”. Buying second hand (or pre-loved) then is clearly a far more sustainable alternative to fast fashion clothing sites like Boohoo or Asos.
More than 13 million items of clothing are sent to landfill every week
Plus, the ethical issues surrounding fast fashion are another reason many are starting to opt for second hand. In July 2020, a Sunday Times investigation revealed that one of the biggest fast fashion retailers, Boohoo, were paying workers in their Leicester factory as little as £3.50 an hour. And while Boohoo cut ties with the suppliers responsible, the case still raises concerns that this wasn’t a one-off incident. It seems to be a recurring theme. Buying second-hand comes without any of these problems, and instead sees clothing used in a circular cycle.
But the benefits don’t stop there – second-hand clothing is well recognised as being inexpensive – perfect for students on a budget. Walls recognises the growing student demographic, noting that “students are definitely becoming more and more conscious of the global impact” of buying second hand clothes.
Second hand clothing pieces are often one-of-a-kind statements too. Style is never sacrificed in second-hand. Walls points out that “Oxfam shops offer conscious consumers a wide range of styles to suit varying tastes and budgets, including vintage, retro, and designer. You don’t know what you are going to find in a charity shop, and that’s the draw for some people!”
While we are nearing the end of September, buying second-hand has its benefits at any time of year. Why not start now? Check out any Oxfam shop, visit some of Belfast’s many vintage shops, or go online; apps such as Depop or Vinted seem to make second hand shopping even easier.
Órla Mallon is a fourth year Liberal Arts student at Queen’s University Belfast