Waste

Jumper-ing into the Festive Season

What’s Going On Here? The single-use Christmas jumper is the festive season’s fast fashion flop.In the build up to Christmas Jumper Day (Dec 13th), Save the Children is urging us to think twice before buying a new Christmas jumper. What Does This Mean? Amid rising concerns over fast fashion and its impact on our planet, Save the Children is calling for us to reuse and upcycle…

Fashion industry looks to sustainability to regenerate its image

What’s Going On Here? The fashion industry—clothes and shoes—accounts for more than 8% of the global climate impact. What Does This Mean? Following fashion trends can come at a big cost to the environment. A report into the fashion industry published by MPs earlier this year found that the textile industry creates 1.2bn tonnes of CO2 a year—more than international aviation and shipping combined—consumes lake-sized…

Recycling. It’s in our own hands

What’s Going On Here? It’s in our own hands. That’s the theme of Recycling Week 2019, the annual celebration of recycling organised by WRAP, which is taking place this week between 23-29 September. What Does This Mean? After big Dave hit us with Blue Planet 2, 2018 was the year Britain opened its eyes to plastic pollution. After Greta inspired the world, 2019…

Can we fix it? ‘Right to Repair’ our gadgets is gaining momentum

What’s Going On Here? ‘Right to Repair’ has been gaining traction in recent months, as big businesses and presidential candidates get on board. At its core, the movement is fighting for a reduction in electronic waste— known as E-waste—by giving more options to the consumer to repair their goods. What Does This Mean? Think about the various gadgets you own. How many items could…

So fresh and so clean: clothes that don’t need washing

What’s Going On Here? A new wave of eco-fashion companies are now offering clothes that don’t need washing. From seaweed fibre T-shirts infused with peppermint oil to superfine wool that doesn’t trap sweat or moisture, these self-cleaning materials could be a gamechanger for addressing our society’s obsessive laundering habits. What Does This Mean? Yep, you heard right. Clothing brands such as Pangaia, Unbound Merino and Wool &…

Charity Shop Shopping Top Tips

Once upon a time, the humble charity shop was frequented by thrifty pensioners and creative students looking for fancy-dress. But times have changed and now the negative impact of FAST FASHION is so widely known a new kind of shopper is filling the store… the eco-conscious! Sales are through the roof, clothing donations are rolling in and there’s never been a better time to…

Your rubbish? Your problem! Malaysia to return tonnes of imported waste to the West

What’s Going On Here? On Tuesday, Malaysia announced it is to send back over 3,000 metric tonnes of contaminated plastic imported waste to countries including the UK, US, Canada and Australia. What Does This Mean? After China banned the import of plastic waste in 2017, other countries began to take the brunt of our waste problem. Since then, rubbish has accumulated across the Philippines, Indonesia,…

Fashion industry needs more transparency, says report

What’s Going On Here? Six years after the Rana Plaza clothes factory collapse in Bangladesh, which killed 1,138 people, Fashion Revolution have just released their annual fashion Transparency Index. This reveals how much information the 200 biggest fashion brands disclose about factors such as their working conditions and environmental impact. Who Are These Guys? In 2018, global fashion sales grew by a massive 4.5%,…