Author: Kanchana

Who doesn’t love shopping for clothes? The thrill of finding something new is exciting. But what if fashion could be fun, affordable, and kinder to the planet too? This September, a UK-wide campaign is challenging us all.

Second Hand September, initiated by OXFAM in 2019, encourages people to buy pre-loved clothing for the month of September and to raise awareness of the fast fashion industry’s environmental impact. Let’s join thousands across the UK in saying no to new, and yes to a more rewarding way to refresh your style. By choosing second-hand, you can refresh your wardrobe, save money, and reduce waste, all while supporting local charities and building a more sustainable Oxford.

Why Second-Hand?

The fashion industry is one of the world’s biggest polluters. In 2022, the clothes and textiles we used in the UK produced the equivalent of 32.9 million tonnes of carbon emissions, and used 5 billion cubic metres of water. That’s a huge footprint just to produce what we wear. Even more shocking, over half of all post-consumer textiles ended up as landfill or incineration waste. 

But there’s good news, about 30% of used textiles are now being diverted away from landfill through resale, reuse, and recycling. Charities are a significant part of this. Selling approximately 185.5 kilotonnes in store or online, showing just how mainstream pre-loved fashion has become (according to the report from WRAP published on 31 March 2024).

How to have Fun, Affordable, and Rewarding Fashion this September

The Thrill of the Hunt: Discovering Unique Style

Think about shopping as a treasure hunt! Instead of seeing the same fast-fashion items on everyone, you get to find one-of-a-kind pieces that truly reflect your style. How would you feel after discovering a hidden gem in the shops? Oxford is also full of brilliant second-hand stores from charity shops to curated vintage stores to help you mix and match your look. And best of all? Second-hand is often much cheaper than buying new, so your wallet benefits too.

• Charity shops:  Oxfam stores, Helen & Douglas House, Emmaus Oxford Store, British Heart Foundation, Mercy in Action, Sobell House Hospice, Age UK, Mind, Sue Ryder, Barnardo’s, Cancer Research UK, and more. Each one helps fund vital services in our community.
• Vintage shops: Unicorn, Ballroom Emporium, The Retro Room, Reign Vintage, and Antiques On High – perfect for one-of-a-kind statement pieces.
• Online marketplaces: Platforms like Vinted, Depop, and eBay UK  make it easy to buy (or sell) pre-loved clothing from home.

Unlock Your Creativity: Repair and Restyle

Every piece of clothing often comes with history, from the moment you bought it to the adventures you’ve had in it. A simple tear or missing button should not be a reason to discard them. What if you could learn to fix them? We regularly get lovely feedback from our repair cafe guests who have learned basic sewing skills to patch a hole, sew on a new button or learn how to handle that tricky hem. And if you are ready to take on a creative project, restyling that tired-looking shirt maybe, we have sewing machines for hire in the Library of Things

Here are some of the many Repair Cafés happening this September:

• Hook Norton Repair Café – 6 Sep
• Blewbury Repair Café – 14 Sep
• SHARE Oxford Repair Café – 21 Sep
• Find the one nearest you at Repair Café Oxfordshire

Join a Community : Swap and Share 

Fashion doesn’t have to be a solo activity. A clothes swap is like shopping with friends, but without the cost. It’s a great way to try new styles and pass on items you no longer wear. You can join the upcoming local swaps below, or even host with your friends and family!

• International Clean Air & Blue Skies Clothes Swap at Cromwell Lodge Hote, Banbury – 7 Sep
• Cherwell Collective’s WISH Clothing Swap at Tap Social, Botley – 27 Sep

The Joy of Letting Go: Donating with Intention

Second Hand September isn’t just about shopping, it’s a chance to look inside your own wardrobe first and rethink fashion altogether.

We’ve all had those moments staring at a closet full of clothes and feeling like we have nothing to wear. Instead of seeing it as a problem, you can turn it into an opportunity. Think about Marie Kondo and her concept of “sparking joy”. Go through your wardrobe, take a moment to hold each item, and then ask yourself: “Does this piece of clothing truly spark joy in me?”

By making this a mindful process, you’re not just decluttering. You are curating a wardrobe that makes you feel great every day. For the items that no longer “spark joy”, you can thank them for their service and let them go with a purpose. You’re not only simply clearing space, you’re also giving someone else the opportunity to fall in love with a piece and give it a second life. You can donate to any of the charity shops in Oxford we’ve listed above. 

Let’s Make A Difference in September

At SHARE Oxford, every item hired from our Library of Things means one less item potentially bought unnecessarily. Every repair at our Repair Café is about more than just fixing. It’s about building a community of empowered individuals. We believe that by learning basic repair skills, you can save your favourite clothes from landfill, extend the life of broken things, and feel the satisfaction of a job well done. It’s exciting to see initiatives like Second Hand September growing each year, building the circular economy we do our bit for.

Taking part in Second Hand September can start with just one simple action: donate, repair, rewear, or restyle. Every step you take helps cut waste, reduce emissions, and keep clothes in use for longer. And our small actions add up to big change.

What will your Second Hand September story be? We’d love to hear about it! Share your story with us in the comments, tag us on social media @shareoxford, or send us a photo! Your creativity might just inspire someone else to take the leap as well.

#SecondHandSeptember #SustainableFashion

With our focus on sharing and repairing, Plastic free July is a great reminder of how all these little changes in our lives make a difference. Our team has helped explore some fun sustainable options here in Oxford!

Reduce: Borrow Instead of Buying – Cut Plastic Waste Before It Begins

Buying something new often means more plastic. Every new item bought, especially those laden with plastic, adds to a cycle of production, packaging, and pollution that contributes to our planet. The fold-up chair for the BBQ? The camping stove? The box of plastic cups? Chances are, they’ll be used once or twice and end up stored or binned, these are contributing to a cycle of overconsumption and plastic pollution. 

Our Library of Things and the others across the county directly reduce the demand for new production and unnecessary plastic packaging, playing a part in Oxfordshire’s circular economy. You can borrow what you need — for your party, your holiday, your home DIY — and return it when you’re done. 

Explore our inventory at Library of Things: Discover everything from summer essentials to tools for DIY projects that help you avoid plastic, whether you want to have: 

• Gazebos, bunting and cooking gear for hosting summer parties
• Camping stoves, bike racks for sustainable (and cheaper) holidays
• Carpet cleaners, bulky gardening equipment, drills, and tools for one-off jobs 

Refill What You Need – Shop Without the Plastic Burden

While borrowing is fantastic, sometimes you do need to stock up on everyday consumables. This is where Oxfordshire’s incredible refill shops come in, revolutionizing the way we shop and significantly reducing single-use plastic. Here are some that our team love shopping at and some offer doorstep refill or delivery. If we’ve missed you, please shout and we’ll be pleased to add you in!

• OxUnboxed, Oxford Covered Market – An accessible and affordable way to shop low-plastic in the city centre. Just bring your empty containers and stock up!
• Flo’s in Florence Park, East Oxford – Providing easy access to refill options for everyday essentials. 
• Wild Honey, Iffley – A curated selection of natural and organic products from wholesome foods to sustainable personal care items. 
• The Village Refill, Yarnton – For your pantry staples, eco-friendly cleaning supplies, and even sustainable beauty products.
• Tribe Zero Waste, Faringdon – An extensive range of plastic-free groceries, household goods, and personal care items, all thoughtfully sourced.
• Nothing but Footprints, Banbury & Bicester – Oxfordshire’s largest selection of bulk staples and sustainable products for a truly comprehensive refill experience.
• The Market Garden, Eynsham – Providing fresh, high quality, and organic produce alongside a growing range of dried and liquid products for refill. 
• So Sustainable, Watlington – A community-focused refill spot offering a variety of plastic-free household essentials and pantry goods. 
• The Mix, Sustainable Wantage – offer a refills station alongside all their other eco-activities, community fridge, library of things and repair cafe. 

Repair Instead of Replace – Give a Second Life to What You Already Own

Many items, especially those with plastic components, are often discarded at the first sign of trouble, contributing to landfill or CO2 from incineration and driving demand for new, often plastic-intensive, products.

CAG Oxfordshire’s report states that 30 groups organised a total of 350 Repair Café events in the last year, This is a doubling of the number of events since 2021, highlighting a significant and growing shift towards a repair culture in Oxfordshire that directly reduces waste. 

This is where SHARE Oxford’s Repair Café fits in – doing our bit to build this “fix not bin” culture. At our monthly Repair Café, volunteers help fix electricals, clothes, bikes, kitchen gadgets and more. Rather than bin another broken item, bring it in. You might be surprised how much our volunteers can fix, giving things another life and saving you money.

Our Repair Café runs every third Sunday of the month. You can book your slot here. We hope to not just get your stuff fixed but help you build your skills and confidence to fix more yourself at home. 

Redistribute and Pass On – Keep Plastic in Circulation

Beyond borrowing, refilling, and repairing, selling or giving away your secondhand stuff is a great way to help others avoid buying new plastic. Got items in good condition that you don’t use anymore? Don’t let them gather dust or, worse, end up in landfill. Pass them on! Donating items to charities, participating in swap shops, or finding new homes for unwanted goods all contribute to a vibrant circular economy.  

Check out the WISH team’s Sustainable shopping map if you need inspiration of where to buy or sell.

Recycling – The Last Resort

Despite our best efforts to reduce, reuse, and repair, some items will inevitably reach their end-of-life. Recycling of course plays its crucial part in the waste hierarchy: Reduce, Reuse, Repair, then Recycle. Especially when it comes to plastics, recycling can be complex, with different types of plastics requiring different processes, and contamination often leading to materials being rejected.

At SHARE Oxford, our primary focus is on preventing waste from being created in the first place, or giving items multiple new lives through borrowing and repairing to lessen the burden on our recycling systems. For those items that cannot be given another life, check out Oxfordshire recycling guidelines.

Or check out what items you can recycle and where the nearest location you can recycle them here on Recycle Now.

Small Actions Add Up to Bigger Impact

CAG Oxfordshire’s Annual Report 2024-2025 showcases the incredible collective power of our local groups. With nearly 120 community action groups working to make Oxfordshire “greener, fairer, safer, and more sustainable”. Along with all the other community and environmental activities these groups take on, we’re seeing the impact of how borrowing instead of buying, refilling instead of binning, repairing instead of replacing can help you reduce plastic and contribute to a healthier planet, and of course, save you money. SHARE Oxford is proud to play our part in that and help build a cooler, cleaner future for our lives.