Water used to make Britain's unworn clothes 'could supply Leeds for life', Oxfam finds
Yorkshire has the highest rate of people binning unwanted clothes in the country
The water used to produce Britain's unworn clothes could supply the entire population of Leeds for a lifetime, according to new research from Oxfam.
The charity's State Of Style report, released for Second Hand September, calculates that the water used to make the nation's unworn clothing is equivalent to a lifetime's supply for one million people.
Much of that water is used overseas, where crops are grown and garments made, leaving some communities facing severe shortages.
Oxfam said the issue is hitting closer to home too, with Yorkshire currently in the grip of a prolonged dry spell after a hot spring and summer.
Yorkshire tops the country for binning clothes
The report found almost a quarter of people in Yorkshire (22%) still throw unwanted clothes in the bin, rather than repairing, donating or reselling them.
That is the highest rate anywhere in the country, according to Oxfam.
The research also found almost a third (31%) of clothes in wardrobes across Yorkshire have not been worn in the past year.
In the past year, two in five people in the region (38%) bought an item to wear once for a specific occasion and haven't worn it since.
Meanwhile, 56% of shoppers in the region said they buy clothes they weren't actively looking for online, with 25% citing algorithms as their biggest influence when shopping.
'A simple way to be more thoughtful'
Rachel Cosgrove-Pearce, Retail Director at Oxfam GB, said: "Shopping second hand is one of the simplest ways to be more thoughtful about what we wear.
"It slows fashion down, encourages us to buy clothes we genuinely love and helps us see style as something creative, not something that has to be brand new.
"When you shop pre-loved, you're not just giving clothes a second life - you're choosing individuality over impulse and making a small change that's better for your wardrobe and for the planet."
Emily Tysoe, Oxfam Manager in Skipton, said: "Charity shops like ours play an important role in helping tackle the impact of fast fashion, and the support of our local community helps that.
"We love welcoming our regular customers and people dropping in donations, but this September we'd also love to see some new faces through the door.
"There are more ways than ever to shop second hand, but there's still something special about browsing a charity shop. You never quite know what you're going to find, and that's part of the fun."
Richard E. Grant fronts the campaign
Actor Richard E. Grant will appear on Oxfam posters in shops across Yorkshire this September, encouraging people in the region to discover second-hand style.
Richard E. Grant said: "Original style isn't about buying more. It's about finding pieces with a story, keeping them for as long as you can, and passing them on for someone else to discover.
"We've already got too much of everything. Reusing and upcycling clothing - second-hand, vintage, call it what you like - just makes perfect sense."
Oxfam is calling for a different relationship with clothes, with fewer items ending up in the bin and more given a second life.