Charity shops have many benefits. Not only do they help raise money for worthy causes, but they also provide jobs and can benefit other high retailers as they draw customers to the high street without being in direct competition. Charity shops also benefit communities by offering lower-cost clothing and providing volunteering opportunities. However, you may not know that charity shops are also hugely beneficial to the planet. Here are some of the environmental benefits of charity shops that you might not be aware of to encourage your sustainable fashion habits.

Donation

One way that charity shops are saving the planet is by accepting donations of used clothing. Women’s t-shirt manufacturers, Damart surveyed 2,000 brits and found that 91% of respondents had donated clothing to charity. Of those, almost half (48%) said they donate clothes every six months, and 28% donated every three months.

When charity shops sell used clothing, it promotes clothing reuse and fabric recycling, which is better for the environment than new clothing. It can also raise much-needed funds for environmental causes.

Recycling

Damart’s survey also found that more people are becoming more eco-minded regarding clothing that they no longer wear. Rather than throw it away in household rubbish, 79% of Brits say they use local clothing recycling banks for their unwanted or outgrown clothing.

This is another great way that charity shops help the planet as many will recycle their unsold or unsuitable donations. Recycling clothing reduces harmful emissions that cause climate change and conserves energy. It also reduces the amount of clothing that ends up in landfills. An added benefit is that recycled clothing is often donated to people in need, such as those living in war zones or extreme poverty.

Reduces rate of ‘fast fashion’

Fast fashion is a term used to describe how the fashion industry replicates what is trending on the catwalks. As trends are constantly changing, this leads to a constant production of new clothing and increasing amounts of unwanted clothing that is no longer considered ‘on-trend.’ Fast fashion contributes to greenhouse gases, which are incredibly harmful to the environment and the fashion industry produces over 92 million tonnes of waste each year.

Charity shops discourage fast fashion by offering people a more sustainable, economical and environmentally-friendly option. In charity shops, people can find affordable, good-quality clothing and there are often great bargains to be had with many people donating new, unworn or vintage clothing.

Minimises landfill and tax

By encouraging the re-use of garments and recycling unwanted clothing, charity shops are helping to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. The Charity Retail Association reports that in one year alone, charity shops keep a staggering  339,000 tonnes of textiles out of UK landfill sites. This also reduces landfill tax, which means councils have more money to spend on other local services that will benefit their residents.

In Summary

The environmental plus points of charity shops are sometimes overlooked in favour of their many other benefits but in addition to raising money for charitable causes, they play a big role in lessening the environmental impact of the fashion industry.