A recent report by ReLondon in collaboration with University College London has shed light on the environmental impact of Londoners’ fashion habits. According to the report, Londoners purchase an average of 48 new clothing items annually — yet discard nearly as many, with 44 items on average ending up in the bin every year. This cycle of consumption and disposal is responsible for the addition of 155,000 tonnes of new clothes to wardrobes across the city, while 142,000 tonnes of clothing are being thrown away. Unfortunately, only 10% of the clothes donated or recycled within London are reused locally, with the majority of discarded garments ending up overseas due to low demand for second-hand clothes in the UK.

Overall, fashion is on track to consume over a quarter of the world’s carbon budget by 2050. In 2019 alone, London’s fashion habits contributed to the production of over 2mn tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. This “buy it, wear it, throw it away” model is driving climate destruction, making it clear that we need to change how we approach clothing, says the report.

The good news? Small shifts in our buying and disposal habits could make a massive difference. The ReLondon report highlights that by swapping just 12 new items for second-hand pieces each year and repairing 5% of our clothing instead of throwing it away, Londoners could reduce the city’s carbon footprint by 30%.

“Londoners are getting rid of an average of 44 items of clothing a year, but buying around 48 new items. The ‘buy it, wear it, throw it away’ fashion model is playing a huge role in the climate crisis we’re facing,” says Lizzy Woods of Love Not Landfill. “For the planet’s sake, we can’t keep doing it. There’s an almost endless supply of beautiful, unique second-hand clothes out there to refresh your wardrobe, which is why we’re so excited to be running another pop-up shop.”

Everything I wore on day 54 of the 90 days of Shein challenge:

Allover Leaf Graphic Drawstring Backpack

DAZY Women’s Floral Print Sleeveless Round Neck Sleep Dress

Lace Flower Pattern Thin Underwear Set, bra

So, due to a combination of wet weather holding up laundry and leaving clothes at friends’ and family’s houses, today was almost a total fail for the challenge. I really need to get this back on track!