“Now you can enjoy your classics with less of an environmental hit”
BY
A Guide to Sustainability First up is H&M and their clothing rental scheme. Joining the likes of Urban Outfitters and Banana Republic, H&M are offering a selection of 50 items for rental, costing roughly £28. They are hoping to reduce clothing production, which in turn will reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry. A report by the UK Parliament estimate that “£140 million worth of clothing goes into landfill every year”. H&M have vowed to trial this service for three months and then review its success with the hope of further expansion. For more information, visit – www.about.hm.com (Search their news for updates on their rental scheme) Read “Fixing fashion: clothing consumption and sustainability” here – www. publications.parliament.uk
Another great way to help reduce waste is supporting Adidas. Fashion has moved towards ‘athleisure’, with us all donning our trainers over stilettos. Adidas’ recent collaboration with Parley for the Oceans is a conscience sportswear choice. The shoes produced under this collaboration are made entirely of recycled yarns found in oceanic waste. You can look cool and help the planet – do you need any more persuasion? For more information, visit – www.adidas.co.uk/parley
If you feel that your wardrobe needs a refresh, what about a clothing recycle scheme? H&M, & Other Stories and Zara offer just that! All you have to do is ask for a garment-collection box and package your old clothes. The garments can be in any condition, and will be sold as secondhand clothes, made into cleaning cloths, or turned into insulation. H&M even offer a voucher to spend in store! For more information, visit: 1.www2.hm.com/en_gb/ladies/shop-by-feature/16r-garment-collecting 2. www.stories.com/en_gbp/customer-service/recycling 3. www.zara.com/uk/en/sustainability-collection-program
Love your denim? Support Levi’s Waterless campaign! Denim has been a wardrobe staple for decades, but now you can enjoy your classics with less of an environmental hit. Levi’s have collated a collection of denim deemed as “a modern twist on classic styles” that are made using less water. They do this by reusing water during the production process and also creating new finishes that require less intervention (and less water). Levi’s aim that by 2020 80% of their products will be under the Waterless collection. They report that they have saved “1.8 billion litres and have recycled more than 129 million litres of water”. For more information, visit – www.levi.com/GB/en_GB/features/sustainability
Recycling isn’t just for fashion; Boots Opticians offer a recycling scheme. They allow their consumers who wear disposable contact lenses to drop off their lenses and blister pack for recycling in any of their 600 stores. For more information, visit – www.boots-uk.com (search for their partnership with ACUVUE and TerraCycle)
Love your beauty products? If so, you’ll like this! Lush and The Body Shop both offer schemes where you recycle and get rewarded. If you return five of the iconic Lush black pots to store, they will give you a free face mask! The pots will then be reworked into future packaging. The Body Shop offer a similar scheme known as the “Return, Recycle, Repeat programme”. Return five empty bottles/tubs/tubes and receive a £5 voucher. The only other thing you need to do is sign up for their Love Your Body Card to reap this reward. Similarly, makeup giant Mac offer their “Back to MAC scheme”. Return six packets and be rewarded with a lipstick of your choice (worth £17.50!). For more information, visit: 1. www.uk.lush.com/tag/recycling 2. www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/packaging/return-recycle-repeat 3. www.maccosmetics.co.uk
Lastly, there’s technology. Return your old Apple products to an authentic Apple store and they will assess the gadget’s future lifespan. If the tech can be refurbished, you will receive a voucher towards an upgrade instore. If not, they will recycle your gadget for you. Apple separate all gadgets and utilise all necessary internal components before your old iPhone starts its new adventure. For more information, visit – www.apple.com/uk/recycling/nationalservices
Talking of selling clothing, consider online stores such as eBay and Depop to give your clothes a new home. Simply list your garments and watch as other fashionistas bid to their heart’s content. What’s great is that there is no waste, and you earn for being environmentally conscious. (The only thing to consider is the cost of sending the clothing to the new owner, and the percentage commission taken by the platform). For more information, visit: 1. www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling 2. www.depophelp.zendesk.com
Spoiled Nation 2019-2020
Hopefully this helps, and you can live as your new environmentally conscious self. Good luck!
PHOTO CREDIT: DARIA SHEVTSOVA FOR PEXELS
Sustainability is THE hot topic, but how do people like me and you live more sustainably? Amongst the discussions and the claims, there are small changes that you can make to live a more sustainable life. This guide will help you wade through all the trends, giving practical advice for you to follow.
Spoiled Nation 2019-2020