We are halfway through #secondhandseptember - the challenge to see whether you can survive a whole month without purchasing any brand new items of clothing, in an effort to reduce the amount of clothing that is disposed of every year. This is all to raise awareness of the issue of fast fashion, the habit of buying fast, cheap, then wearing items only once. Even producing one pair of jeans uses roughly 2,000 gallons (7,600 litres) of water, so consider the impact that constantly buying new clothes has on the environment.

This September if you have to buy something that isn’t from a sustainable brand, why not set yourself a challenge and buy preloved clothes instead?!

DEPOP

Depop is a much loved favourite. It has never been so easy to upload, sell and buy preloved clothes. The great thing about Depop is the incredibly wide range of clothes. Scroll through vintage 80’s jackets or new designer pieces. Some creatives even up-cycle old clothing, to bring items up to date. You could even try selling some of your old clothes on Depop too so that they can find a new loving home.

VESTIERE COLLECTIVE

Buying new designer clothing can be a big investment, so why spend your precious savings on new designer pieces when there are thousands of pre-loved items which are no longer wanted - some pieces even sell for up to half the price! Vestiere Collective resells preloved designer clothing, handbags, shoes and more. from across the world, to find them new loving homes (such as your wardrobe). 

We know what you are thinking, what about fakes? All the items have to go through a quality check to ensure that the items are authentic.

HURR COLLECTIVE

It’s tempting to buy a new outfit for every special event. Social media has spurred a sort of outfit anxiety, where we are scared to be a ‘repeat outfit offender’. The constant pressure to keep up with the latest trends, and following fashion influencers causes plenty of impulse purchasing - and we bet plenty of unworn or barely worn clothes hanging in your wardrobe. Hurr Collective was created to combat this trend’s potential damage on both the environment and your bank account. Hurr Collective is a community of people who rent out their wardrobes, to provide for all sorts of social occasions!

VINTAGE SHOPS

A lot of people think that shopping vintage is like rooting around in your granny’s wardrobe, searching for clothes that haven’t been washed for years. It’s time to break this misconception because some of the most gorgeous unique pieces can be found at vintage shops and we are big fans here at Stay Wild. In London we are lucky enough to have an amazing selection of vintage shops to browse through (we love you Brick Lane!). Here are just a few we recommend (please feel free to leave your favourites in the comments below we would love to hear them).

CHARITY SHOPS

Channel your inner Wild Child and go and raid the local charity shops! You never know what you will find. By shopping second hand at charity shops, it’s not just the environment you are helping out.

We love Mary’s Living and Giving shops; boutique charity shops set up by retail expert Mary Portas. You can find the most amazing designer pieces at a steal, with earnings being donated to Save The Children charity. Shopping designer never felt so good!

DON’T JUST BUY FROM CHARITY SHOPS - IF YOU’RE DOING A BIG CLEAR OUT, REMEMBER TO DONATE YOUR UNLOVED ITEMS TO CHARITY SHOPS TOO.

We fully support #secondhandseptember and investing in preloved clothing,

As a fashion brand we do everything in our power to be as sustainable as possible. Our Swimwear and clothing are produced in small runs so that we produce next to no waste. Our swimwear is made from regenerated ocean plastic and made right here in London where the people who produce them are paid fairly - and we know exactly who made each piece of our clothing - so that when you do have to buy new, you can do so sustainably and ethically.

We are a slow fashion brand. We produce high quality swimsuits and bikinis that are designed to last years and years.