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Shwopping Sees Half A Million Items Of Clothing Shwopped

20 June 2012

Following the launch Marks & Spencer (M&S) has announced the first results of its revolutionary clothes recycling initiative, Shwopping

Half a million used and unwanted items have been shwopped - the equivalent of eight items a minute. Every single one has been donated to Oxfam for re-sale, re-use or recycling.

This coming weekend, the retailer is calling on customers to help it reach a million before the campaign hits its two-month mark. A special money off Shwopping event on 21 - 24 June will see customers who shwop receive a £5 money-off voucher when they spend £35 or more on fashion in-store.

On hearing the results, Joanna Lumley said: "I'm thrilled that UK shoppers have become UK shwoppers. We set out to change the way people shop and put an end to clothes going into landfill - half a million items is a great start. We're determined to give every item of clothing a future and help some of the world's poorest people in the process. So, this weekend dig out that old t-shirt you haven't worn for years and give it a new lease of life. Get Shwopping!"

The offer comes as new research commissioned by M&S reveals that fast-fashion has fuelled a nation of one-wear wonders. Despite the likes of the Duchess of Cambridge and Livia Firth championing repeat wearing, a shocking one in five Britons have admitted to having binned an item after just one wear.

At an average cost of £22.73 per discarded item, this equates to over £91m of perfectly wearable items ending up in landfill every year after only being worn once.

The M&S survey of 2,200 UK consumers conducted by YouGov also revealed that:

  • 74 percent of people have thrown unwanted clothes into the bin over the past twelve months
  • one in five women have in excess of 100 items in their wardrobe
  • cheaper items are more readily disposed of with 44 per cent of one wear wonders costing less than £20
  • one in three Britons has admitted to having binning six or more items over the past year.
  • The campaign aims to put an end to the 1bn 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. The ultimate aim for M&S is to collect 350m items a year - recycling as many clothes as it sells.

Darrel Moore