Environmentally-conscious cleaning brand Method has teamed up with Clothes Aid to open a pop-up ‘Slow Fashion Store’ in London to educate consumers on how to lessen their impact on the planet caused by apparel buying habits. The Slow Fashion Store, which will be open for two days, will offer customers the opportunity to buy second-hand clothes, donate unwanted garments and customise discarded outfits to prolong their use phase.
According to the figures that motivated Method to launch this venture, 25 per cent of 16 -24 year olds admit to clearing out their wardrobe every month, with 22 per cent saying they throw garments in the bin. The statistic which will cause the most concern for sustainable fashion advocates is that 22 per cent of these age range say they would only be pictured in an item of clothing 1-3 times on social media before discarding it.
This, it highlights, is in stark contrast to those aged 45+, with 76 per cent of this age group claiming to donate unwanted garments to charity – and to discard clothes at a much lower rate. The Method Slow Fashion Store will include a designated area to leave donations, with all items and proceeds from sales going to Clothes Aid.
Sarah Tuke, Head of European Communications at Method, stated, “We want to help clean up the fast fashion industry by encouraging the public to either hold on to their clothes for longer or donate to clothes charities. “The Method slow fashion store is about making conscious decisions to decrease our carbon footprint, whilst still loving fashion and looking stylish. We’re all about looking good while doing better, and if you are too, come down and get involved.”
Michael Lomotey, Business Manager at Clothes Aid added, “Clothes Aid is thrilled to be part of method’s one-stop venture. We are proud to recycle over 10,000 tonne of textiles every year and have raised over £10 mn for our partner charities. “We can all do our bit to make fashion more sustainable by making small changes like buying second-hand, recycling clothing and using non-harmful cleaning products.” The Method Slow Fashion Store will be open to the public from 16th-17th October in London.
