UK consumers trash 235m items of clothing, lack recycling awareness

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Apr 6, 2017

Britons will get rid of 680 million items of clothing this season as they clear out their wardrobes with 235 million of those garments set to end up in landfill sites as consumers are unaware that they can be recycled or donated to charities.

A new study from retailer Sainsbury’s and charity Oxfam showed that 49 million people expect to throw clothes away this spring with 49% believing that if they are worn out or dirty they cannot be recycled.

This is despite many major chains and smaller businesses, increasingly focusing on sustainable supply chains that use large amounts of recycled textiles. Only this week, fashion retail giant released its latest sustainability report that set a number of year goals for its eventual conversion to a fully-sustainable fabric supply chain.

Meanwhile Sainsbury’s said that on average, people will dispose of 19 items this spring, with seven of those items being trashed.

While lack of awareness of whether an item is suitable for donation or recycling is the biggest reason for throwing it away, 16% of people say they do not have time to sort their clothes or take any other actions that would result in them being recycled/donated.

Men are most likely to trash their clothes when they are finished with them with 82% prepared to throw them away this spring, compared to 69% of women.  

Sainsbury’s, whose Tu apparel label is one of the most successful parts of its business at present, is calling on shoppers to recycle clothing at its 340 recycling points in its stores. It is currently the biggest single supplier of second-hand clothing for Oxfam shops, which both sells and recycles it.