A new survey has revealed that the average UK wardrobe contains a quarter of clothes that have not been worn in the past year, amounting to 1.6 billion unworn garments nationwide. The study, conducted by environmental group WRAP, found that while people are keeping clothes for longer, the sheer volume of garments means they are being used less frequently.
According to the research, a pair of jeans is now kept for an average of four years, up from three years in 2013. However, WRAP's Sustainable Textiles Specialist Catherine Salvidge noted: 'We are keeping our clothes for longer, but we've got more of them in our wardrobes, which means we're actually using them less. There's a real opportunity for us to be using the clothes that we have a lot more.'
The fashion industry is responsible for up to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN. The survey, based on 6,000 online interviews with UK citizens who purchase clothing at least once a year, also found that non-padded coats and jackets have the longest lifespans at over six years, while underwear and bras are kept for just 2.7 and 2.6 years respectively.
Despite wardrobes being stuffed with unworn clothes, shopping habits remain strong: 45% of respondents buy clothing at least once a month, with around one in eight shopping weekly. However, half of UK citizens say they are happy to buy second-hand clothes, and the survey showed that second-hand items tend to be kept nearly a year and a half longer than new ones.
