Fast fashion: How to make clothes last longer and save the planet
- Published
What's the oldest item of clothing in your wardrobe?
Chances are you may struggle to top a 70-year-old dress - which happens to be Hannah's pride and joy.
"It was passed down from my grandma to my auntie, then cousin, then me. There are so many amazing dresses like that, built to last."
Radio 1 Newsbeat has been talking to sustainable fashion blogger Hannah about fast fashion - as MPs say clothing brands and retailers should pay to fund a clothing recycling scheme.
Hannah's been giving us her tips on helping to protect the environment and revive the items in your wardrobe.
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Only buy things you really love or need
More than 3,700 litres of water are used in the full lifetime of some pairs of jeans
Do you see yourself wearing that item at least 30 times? If the answer is no, then put it back on the rack.
Hannah says the more items that factories have to produce - the more damage is done to the environment.
"Commit to wearing clothes more than just once or a handful at times. It also ensures you don't waste your money on things that you don't actually love."
Swap with friends
Call up your bestie or organise a meet-up via the group chat.
"Your friends might have some clothes that you may like and vice versa. Swapping wardrobes might also stop you from wasting money on something new."
Upcycling
Bored of that pair of jeans? Hannah says changing them into something new is a good option.
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Hannah says: "Around 11 million items of clothing go into landfills every day in the UK which is just a crazy amount.
"If you're just a bit bored of the length of a pair of jeans sometimes I cut the hem off a bit just to give it a bit of a refresh. This keeps my clothes in my wardrobe for years longer."
Get out the needle and thread
"Mend your clothes," Hannah advises.
"I find that if I have got a hole in a jumper or a pair of jeans with a broken zipper, I just fix them."
Wash on lower temperatures
"Washing clothes on 30° rather than 40° and not using tumble dryers is definitely better for the environment," Hannah says.
Washing machines and tumble driers can also age your clothes faster.
"There are lots of websites that give great tips on how to wash different fabrics and different bits of clothing so you can wash your clothes more sustainably."
Don't bin it
What a waste: In the UK, hundreds of millions of items of clothing are sent to landfill each year
People in the UK send 235 million items of clothing to landfills each year, according to the most recent figures.
Hannah says rather than throwing them away - often these items could be given to second hand or charity shops for a new lease of life.
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