Hey Manchester? Can we go thrift shopping?

Blue Rinse, Manchester

Vintage and second-hand clothes have had a booming resurgence in the past 15 years. It’s become fashionable to shop in charity shops and up-cycle garments you previously would’ve sent to landfill.

However, with the rise of fast fashion companies and a looming recession, the country is becoming more reliant on badly manufactured, cheap and unethical clothing.

Textile production creates more greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. 20% of global industrial water pollution is caused by the dyeing and treatment of textiles. Each year around half a million tonnes of plastic microfibres shed from plastic-based textiles end up in the ocean. 300,000 tonnes of this goes to landfill in the UK annually, costing our economy approximately £82 million. (Stitched Up)

Suzy Loves Milo

Manchester has a huge vintage and up-cycling culture, with the Northern Quarter being packed with second-hand shops and vintage garms at super cheap prices. What’s more fun than trawling the rails to find a completely unique ensemble?

The likes of Bare Necessities, Suzy Loves Milo and Blue Rinse, just to name a few have such an extensive range that you’d be hard-pressed not to find what you’re looking for.

So why not give second-hand clothing a go for all your party wear this festive season?!

Another great way to buy second-hand is through local Facebook groups. Especially in central Manchester, amazing bargains can be found if you know where to look. Live in an apartment building? There will often be a Facebook page specifically for that building or complex and, more often than not, you’ll find people selling amazing items really cheaply (or sometimes even for free!).

The same can be said for your local area, you can use sites like Gumtree, Trash Nothing or Freecycle to pick up items local to you and turn them into an upscale masterpiece!

This Christmas, we urge you to think about what you’re purchasing and make a conscious decision to buy second-hand, local and ethically. After all, we’re all dreaming of a Green Christmas.