5 Ways to Give Pre-Loved Clothes a New Life.
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Extend your wardrobe's life cycle and reduce textile waste.
As the seasons change, a lot of us are taking a fresh look at our wardrobes, usually putting away our summer pieces and going through a bit of a seasonal clearout.
Whether some items don’t fit anymore, are simply no longer your style, or if you’re finding yourself with piles – or even just one small pile of clothes you’ve not worn in a while, here are five ways to give them a new lease of life.
Sell them online;
Sometimes, when we’re going through the clothes we don’t wear anymore, we see items we’ve only really worn once or things with the labels still attached. It happens. But rather than feeling guilty for not wearing them or hesitating about donating them because of how much they cost, selling your pre-loved clothes online is a great way to extend the garment's life (and make a bit of money while you’re at it). From Vinted and Depop to eBay and Facebook Marketplace, there are plenty of options to choose from.
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Take them to your local charity shop;
Visiting your local charity shop is another great option if you have some clothes that you’re ready to part with. Not only are you contributing to a charity’s mission, but you’re also helping give your items a new lease of life, allowing someone else to take them home and continue to love them. The charity Traid is currently challenging people to donate more in September, with a goal of reaching 250,000 donations, the sale of which will help them fund their partner work – what’s not to love?
Donate them directly;
Another alternative is donating your clothes to a charity directly. Women’s shelters and aid charities will often accept clothing donations alongside cash gifts, so this can be a great option if you’ve got some bits that need a new home. Conduct some research online to see if any charities have drop-off points near you or if they’ll collect the items from your home.
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Ask friends and family;
My favourite way to give clothes a new lease of life is to pass them on to friends and family. Most of the time, the clothes we choose to let go of are still in good condition, and you just know someone else could get so much enjoyment out of them. So, take a look at your ‘get rid’ pile and see if anything reminds you of anyone. If it does, reach out and ask if they’d be interested in adding it to their wardrobe.
Recycle them;
Finally, there are just some items that won’t get a second life. They’ve already been loved a lot and have seen better days. But, that doesn’t mean they should go in the bin. From repurposing old socks into cleaning clothes to turning cotton t-shirts into face wipes, there are plenty of DIYs for reusing old fabric. You can also take some clothes to recycling points – just make sure to check the criteria as some items aren’t accepted.
