Marks & Spencer create world's largest Union Jack flag from recycled clothes

Marks & Spencer (M&S) is channelling the positive energy of the British public this summer by creating a giant piece of clothing art at West Ham Park on Thursday 9th August.

Using 2,100 unwanted items of clothing donated to the Shwopping initiative, M&S, local volunteers and charity partner Oxfam will join forces to make the world’s largest Union Jack flag clothes mosaic in East London.

The volunteers will have just less than two hours to complete their task before the winner of the 10km Open Water Swim at the Serpentine crosses the finish line. The favourite for the event is British athlete Keri-Anne Payne.

Shwopping is M&S and Oxfam’s revolutionary sustainable fashion initiative asking consumers to adopt a ‘buy one, give one’ mentality when shopping and encourage greater sustainability on the high street.

All items used in the creation of the flag will be reused, resold or recycled by Oxfam.

The campaign aims to put an end to the one billion items currently ending up in landfill every year. All M&S clothing stores now accept used and unwanted items of clothing from any brand, all year round.