Millennial travel brand Contiki has discovered that young brits buy an average of five new pieces of holiday clothing every time they go away. With two thirds of these never worn again - and a large quantity from cheap, fast-fashion brands if the wardrobes of my friends and colleagues are anything to go by - it doesn't take a genius to work out this is contributing to some serious landfill problems.
In a bid to take a stand and make a difference, the travel brand has teamed up with sustainable fashion campaign #LoveNotLandfill to host its first Holiday Wardrobe Clothes Swap in London on 12th March. A recent poll conducted by #LoveNotLandfill, a campaign aimed at young consumers of fast fashion and backed by the European Clothing Action Plan, which found that 28% of young people don’t know what they can do to reduce the impact of fast fashion on the environment. I have pretty strong opinions about fast fashion in general; there are certain brands I steer completely clear of, preferring to make my clothes from scratch, alter old garments or spend a bit more buying from brands I know are better quality and more sustainable.
Destpite Contiki's survey results revealing millennials are pretty hot on eschewing plastic bags and utilising reusable coffee cups and water bottles, when it comes to shopping for holiday wardrobes just 13% of those surveyed said they would buy clothes for an upcoming trip from sustainable brands no matter the cost. In contrast, nearly a third (27%) said they purchase cheaper clothing to suit fleeting seasonal trends ahead of a holiday. A further 17% were more interested in grabbing a bargain than in the sustainability of their clothes when shopping for holiday outfits.
The Contiki Holiday Wardrobe Clothes Swap, at ‘The Contiki Basement’ will take place on 12th March 2019 from 5.30pm. Londoners interested in getting involved need only bring their unwanted wardrobe items ready to swap. Any leftover clothes from the swap will be donated to #LoveNotLandfill to be recycled, so no item will go to waste.
At the event, Contiki will also be hosting a panel discussion with sustainable fashion’s industry leaders. Carry Somers, British fashion designer and founder of Fashion Revolution, a not-for profit global movement which campaigns for transparency in the fashion supply chain. Venetia Falconer, a presenter and producer, passionate about sustainable living, and Agatha Lintott, founder of Antibad, an online shopping platform which stocks and promotes only ethical and sustainable fashion brands.
For more information about Contiki’s Holiday Wardrobe Clothes Swap please visit www.contiki.com/uk/en/activity/clothes-swap
For more information about #LoveNotLandfill please visit www.lovenotlandfill.org
