Clothes and textiles

The fashion industry is responsible for 10 per cent of global carbon emissions - more than air and sea travel combined.

In the UK, we buy more clothes than any other country in Europe. More than half of items bought are thrown away in less than a year. Every year, around £140 million worth of clothes ends up in our general waste bins - around 350,000 tonnes. Disposing of these costs the UK around £82 million each year.

Globally, less than one per cent of materials used to make clothing are recycled into new clothes. Around 12 per cent is recycled into other products, such as insulation or mattress stuffing.

We encourage everyone to make the most out of their clothes. Give them as much life as possible, and ensure they are recycled instead of ending up in landfill. 

Consider buying second-hand rather than new. There are many charity shops in Dacorum, as well as some great pre-loved and vintage shops. You can also try Facebook groups and apps such as Depop and Vinted.

Sustainable clothes swaps

Past events

More than 80 people attended our autumn 2024 clothes swaps at The Forum in Hemel Hempstead, bringing along 842 items. In total, 72 per cent of clothes were swapped, saving 3,656kg of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent), had the clothing ended up in landfill. That's the same as flying from London to Toronto, Canada! The remaining clothes were donated to Goods for Good, a Watford-based humanitarian aid charity.

Clothes swap rules

• You can bring up to 10 items per person (adult sizes only)
  
• Accepted items: clean, good-quality adult clothing
• Not accepted: dirty, torn, stained, or damaged clothes. Shoes, bags, jewellery, underwear, swimwear, nightwear, children's clothing
• Bring your own reusable bags to take items home
• Credit for items swapped expires at the end of the event
• We will donate leftover items to charity or save them for future swaps

Dopplle 

This student-led start-up - based in Hemel Hempstead - also runs clothes swaps throughout the year.  Visit the Dopplle website for more info. 

Love Your Clothes

We proudly support the Love Your Clothes campaign, which helps people extend the life of their clothes. Its website offers top tips on: 

• Washing and drying clothes correctly
• Stain removal 
• Repairs and alterations 
• Upcycling items 

Selling and donating

If you no longer want your items and there's still plenty of life left in them, aim to sell or donate them to someone else who can enjoy them.

If your clothes still have life in them but you no longer want them, consider selling or donating them. Try platforms such as Vinted, eBay, Preloved or Facebook Marketplace. You can also donate to local charity shops or sell items as car boot or jumble sales, or swap for discounts through companies such as reGAIN.

Several charities accept specific items, such as:

• Sports shoes
• Bras
• Shoes
• Jewellery
• Make up 

Recycling Unwearables

If clothes can’t be reworn, let them be reborn! Unwearables are clothes that are not destined to be worn again. These include things such as holey socks, ripped tights or torn T-shirts. They could also be items you wouldn’t pass on to someone else, such as underwear.

If you can't repair of reuse your items, recycle them at your nearest neighbourhood textile recycling bank. Your ‘unwearables’ can become anything from a carpet or mattress, to sofa stuffing or wiper rags.

Textile recycling banks accept 'flat' textiles, such as clothes, curtains, duvet covers and pillow cases. You can take stuffed textiles, such as cushions, duvets and pillows to a Recycling Centre.

Remember: never put clothes in your kerbside bins.