Never taken part in Second Hand September?

Here are 8 reasons why you should get involved this year...

A yellow and pink graphic that reads 'Second Hand September is back'

Second Hand September is back for its third year – where thousands of people shop only second hand for 30 days (or more!) to help people and planet. Here’s why you should be one of them...

1. Fast fashion is damaging our planet

Fast fashion – clothes that are produced in high volume and at relatively low cost to the consumer– is damaging our planet. And the excess waste from this throwaway lifestyle is putting pressure on the environment. It is increasing demand for the textile industry, which accounts for approximately 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Although we don’t believe the responsibility to fix the problem lies with us shoppers – Second Hand September is a way of individually doing our bit to make our lives more sustainable.

A graphic that reads 'fast fashion is damaging our planet'

2. It’s addictive

There are so many incredible wardrobe staples you can find. Nothing quite beats the feeling when you get complimented on an outfit and you can smugly say ‘I got it from a charity shop’. Meet Zara who took part in the first ever Second Hand September in 2019, and fell in love with second hand so much that she hasn’t bought anything new since.

3. You’ll be a climate crusader

Not only does taking part extend the life of clothes – but shopping and donating with us helps to raise money for people who are suffering the effects of the climate emergency right now, yet have done the least to cause it. You could help fund a solar-powered pump that brings water up from underground during dry season, or provide farmers with drought-resistant seeds.

Our shops will be showcasing the very best of second hand throughout the month. And you can choose from over 100,000 items on the Oxfam Online Shop 24 hours a day.

4. You’ll be keeping clothes from landfill

Did you know, 13 million items of used clothing ends up in UK landfill every week? But when you donate your pre-loved clothes and accessories to us, they’ll never go to landfill. Your items will either be sold in our shops or we’ll find a use for it – like turning a t-shirt into mattress filler.

A graphic about the amount of items that go to landfill

5. It’s never been easier to have a clear-out

This year we’ve launched our Donate by post scheme – it’s made donating clothes and accessories even easier – and it’s completely free to do. You simply order your bag, fill it up and post it back. You can get yours here or find your local Oxfam shop to donate to.

6. Sienna Miller is saying yes to second hand

This year the wonderful Sienna Miller is the face of this year’s campaign. We had so much fun on the photoshoot with her – picking out some incredible second hand looks. Here she is behind the scenes...

7. Thrifting is in

A building with the words 'let's change how we shop' on the sides

You don’t need to just take our word for it. These brilliant brands are making it even easier to keep clothes in circulation and raise money to support people living in poverty. Plus – the incredible pop-up shop is back at Selfridges – here's everything you need to know...

Selfridges

Oxfam returns to Selfridges' flagship store in Oxford Street, opening on 6th September and running until the end of the year. Curated by queen-of-thrift Bay Garnett, the pop-up will again be bringing vintage and designer items, so it's a great place to browse for those really special, unique pieces.

eBay

Second hand powerhouse eBay is supporting Oxfam's Second Hand September for a second year running, championing the joy of buying and selling pre-loved items. This September, they will be matching pound-for-pound when any customer resells for Oxfam on eBay - you can donate up to 100% of the proceeds of any items you sell.

Superdry

To help customers give their pre-loved clothes a new lease of life, whilst having a positive impact on someone else’s, Superdry will be launching an in-store ‘Give Back’ scheme, which encourages customers to support a more sustainable lifestyle. By donating their pre-loved clothes through one of the 'Give Back' boxes, available in selected UK stores, Superdry will be twinning with their local Oxfam shops to not only support the revival of an item for resale, but also the communities they operate in.

Baukjen & Isabella Oliver (House of Baukjen)

To support Second Hand September, sustainably and socially conscious clothing company House of Baukjen will be launching a new Pre-Loved scheme for their women's wear brand Baukjen. Customers can donate items they no longer wear to Baukjen and their sister maternity brand Isabella Oliver (which already has a Pre-Loved initiative) to be re-loved, repurposed or recycled with 50% of the net proceeds donated to Oxfam.

Joules

Joules stores will be promoting our partnership "Don't Let Good Taste Go To Waste" which gives Joules customers the chance to give clothes a second chance and increase their lifespan. Simply pop into a Joules store, ask a member of staff to show you to one of the drop-off points where you can leave all the clothes and footwear you want to donate. These items will then be passed on to Oxfam shops to raise much need money to fight poverty around the world.

8. You’ll be part of a movement

Over the past few years, thousands of people have taken part.

We love searching #SecondHandSeptember on Instagram – it's full of so much inspiration and photos of people sharing what second hand gems they’ve found. Don’t forget to share yours too and tag @OxfamGB so we don’t miss it.

Are you feeling up for the challenge of not buying anything new for 30 days (or more)? Show you’re taking part by saving and sharing one of these social posts...

A graphic that says 'I'm taking part in Second Hand September'

Graphic that says Say yes to Second Hand