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It’s Earth Day! A day to celebrate our beautiful planet and raise awareness about how to keep it safe and healthy. On April 22nd every year we celebrate Earth Day all over the globe, as a day of activism and support for environmental awareness and conservation. Earth Day originated in the United States in the late 1960s. The first ever Earth Day was organised in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson, who wanted to build on the anti-war movement’s momentum, and channel that energy towards environmental activism. Concern was growing about the degradation of the environment and rising levels of pollution, and he knew that collective action was the best way to encourage change. Since its hippy roots, the day has evolved into a worldwide movement, with millions of us taking part all around the world. From beach clean-ups to tree planting and everything in between, there are thousands of opportunities for you to take part in making the world a little bit better. Do you want some ideas? Okay, let’s give you a few…
Get involved in Earth Day with Reskinned x Give Your Best
Our mission is to keep clothes out of landfill and in the hands of the people who will value them the most. And that doesn’t just mean giving you the opportunity to buy great clothes at great prices.
We are dedicated to making sure the people who need our clothes the most have access to them, which is why we’re so excited to announce our latest partnership with the incredible charity Give your Best, who are tackling clothing poverty for refugees with their donation platform.
For Earth Day, and to celebrate 2 years of Reskinned (yes, of course we started our business on Earth Day!) we’re donating 10% of our profits during Earth Week (22/04/24 - 28/04/24) to support their important work.
“We believe that someone’s legal status and financial circumstances shouldn’t mean a lack of choice in what they want to wear. At Give Your Best, a donation becomes a gift: the gift of choice, of empowerment and connection with the person sending the item.”
Sol Escobar, Founder of Give Your Best
Give Your Best is the first circular platform where people and brands can donate their clothes for refugee women and children, as well as communities living in clothing poverty can shop online for free.
In a world where choosing what you wear is a luxury that we tend to take for granted, for the people living in clothing poverty, this kind of shopping experience gives them the empowerment and agency to feel confident in what they wear and how they show up in the world.
“I love to choose clothes in the colour purple, in my culture that is the colour of strength and dignity, of a woman who is not afraid of the future. I try to choose these clothes to feel strong and remind myself that I am not my circumstances.”
Service User, Give Your Best
With over 35,000 items shopped by thousands of families, women and children across the country, they created an incredible safe space for people in need.
Not to mention that their work also reduces the waste of the fashion industry, keeping good, wearable and usable clothing out of landfill through their circular system. Sound like someone you know?
Give them a follow on instagram to support their work, and check out their website and how you can donate here.
Make sustainable clothes choices
We are constantly preaching mindfulness when it comes to your wardrobe, and we’re not about to stop now.
Being conscious of your buying habits and choosing quality items that you actually need will reduce your consumption and your impact.
What are the environmental benefits of buying less clothes?
Now, don’t get us wrong, we think you should have as many items in your wardrobe as you really need and want, and that number will look different to every one of us. Some people can go a year wearing the same pair of shoes, and others need a bit more variety to feel their very best.
We want to encourage you to buy only what you need - it’s the extra stuff you buy on a whim and leave to gather dust with the labels still on, that’s what we’re concerned about.
Every new thing that’s made requires some level of greenhouse gas emissions, raw material usage and energy. Yes, even the sustainable stuff! So by taking a more minimalist approach will let you utilise the things you’ve already got, and lower those emissions. Every item you choose not to buy new is a positive action for the planet.
Why should you purchase pre-loved over new?
There are so many great reasons to choose to shop pre-loved, and when you’ve got the shopping bug, then it’s a great alternative to buying brand-new things.
This Earth Day, consider making a pledge to only buy pre-loved. Do you think you could do it?
Pre-loved clothes, shoes and accessories have already been produced, so all of the environmental impact has already taken place. When we give something old a new life, we’re extending its life span, meaning the impact over time is minimised.
Shopping pre-loved instead of new keeps good clothes out of landfill, unnecessary clothes out of production, and - the best part - total bargains in your wardrobe (and your money still in your wallet). That’s why it’s our favourite Earth Day action.
Browse pre-loved menswear or womenswear on Reskinned.
How to wash your clothes sustainably
Did you know that the way you wash your clothes can make a huge difference to your environmental impact?
Here are a few of our top tips to make sure you’re being as Earth-friendly as possible when it comes to your routine.
- Wash things less. Washing your clothes less frequently not only helps prolong their lifespan but also reduces water and energy consumption. And we promise, no one’s going to notice.
- Use cold water. Washing clothes in cold water instead of hot can actually significantly reduce your energy consumption. About 90% of the energy used in washing clothes goes to heating the water.
- Choose your detergent wisely. Opt for biodegradable and eco-friendly laundry detergents. Look for ones that have no harsh chemicals, synthetic scents or dyes in them.
- Air dry whenever possible. A drying rack uses zero energy, whereas a tumble dryer needs a lot of heat to do the same job. Choose air drying when you can to reduce your impact.
- Wash full loads. If you’re using the washing machine, make it count by filling it up to the top when you're washing a load. That way you maximise efficiency and reduce your water and energy usage every time.
- Use a Guppy Bag. Prevent microplastics from your clothes ending up in the waterways by washing them in a guppy bag.
When it comes to caring for your clothes, making conscious washing choices not only prolongs their lifespan but also reduces your energy usage significantly.
Get On Your Bike
Or the bus, we’re not picky.
Your transportation choices can make a big difference to your overall environmental impact. Using a bike or public transport can significantly reduce your carbon emissions, so it’s a great Earth Day alternative to using a car. Plus there’s the bonus outcome of making you fitter and healthier. Healthy planet, healthy you.
And if you live somewhere that a bike or public transport isn’t going to cut it, then why not see if you can set up a carpool with people in your area for any regular journeys? It’s a great way to meet like-minded eco-conscious folk and make some new friends.
Plant Trees With Your Questions
Did you know that internet pollution is a thing?
Yep, we’re afraid it is. Internet pollution is the environmental impact caused by the energy consumption and electronic waste generated by internet-related activities.
Every time you hop on the web to search for something, you’re adding to the environmental impact of the internet. Eek!
Ecosia is the search engine that’s determined to give back. And they do this by using their ad revenue to plant trees. By switching to Ecosia as your primary search engine, you can search safe in the knowledge that you’re contributing to worldwide reforestation efforts, and reducing your carbon footprint. And you don’t even have to do anything more than search!
Donate Your Time
We know that sometimes money can be tight, and supporting the environment or being sustainable feels like another extra cost.
If you don’t have the funds to donate to environmental charities, then donating your time to the organisations you love and support is a great free solution.
Reach out to your favourite charities or projects and ask if there’s anything you can do to help or support them.
And if you don’t have a favourite environmental charity yet, then this is a great time to do a little bit of research about the great work happening around you.
As we celebrate our beautiful planet, let's commit to making the little changes that collectively have a big impact.
Especially those that require very little time and effort, just little habit changes. From embracing pre-loved fashion, to getting your bike out of the garage from time to time, or committing one Sunday a month to your local litter picking incentives, there’s a lot you can do to preserve and protect the planet for generations to come, and help the people who are already here to live better too.
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