Vanish collaborates with British Fashion Council to raise awareness of throwaway fashion

During London Fashion Week (LFW) garment care brand Vanish has partnered with the British Fashion Council (BFC) to unveil a Rewear Edit high-fashion shoot. The shoot was entirely made from discarded clothing in order to raise awareness about the 3.5 tonnes of clothing that goes to landfills annually in the UK.

Alongside new research commissioned by Vanish, thought-provoking imagery is shared which reveals the throwaway attitudes towards fashion in the UK. Around 64% of consumers admit that they wear an item only once and 50% own an item which they have never worn resulting in up to 350,000 tonnes of clothing being sent to landfill annually.

When asked about their unwanted clothes, rather than considering more sustainable routes such as re-wearing or sharing with friends and family, 31% admitted to disposing of their clothes at a clothes bank and 16% of them throw them in bins. According to the research by OnePoll on behalf of Vanish amongst 1,000 consumers, the reason given by consumers for disposing of the clothes were faded colors (22%), stains (20%), or minor damage (19%). Another shocking casual attitude towards clothing was revealed that nearly a quarter (23%) of UK consumers discard or never wear an item of clothing again due to boredom. Around 34% of the consumers admit that they buy clothes in the spur of the moment, only to change their mind later. Many consumers also admitted that they are unaware of the effect of this behavior on the environment of placing clothing fourth after housing, transport, and food items.

In order to demonstrate how clothing can be re-worn, reused, and restyled to create new looks Vanish has created a film and series of images with the help of Miranda Almond- a fashion stylist and sustainability advocate. To breathe new life into unloved clothes that have barely been worn, these styles could be found in any wardrobe by using simple styling tricks and adjustments. Clothing items such as classic black dresses, tailoring, chunky knitwear, and conceptual denim were used to encourage consumers to embrace more sustainable ways to care for their clothes.

Vanish, owner, chief marketing, and digital officer for RB UK and Ireland, Cigdem Kurtulus said that the clothes we wear express ourselves and our identities. At Vanish, they know the importance of the right clothes. Hence to demonstrate the sheer potential of sitting in items that are thrown away without a second thought, they have launched the Rewear Edit. They want to encourage people to view their wardrobes from a new perspective.

Chief executive officer of the British Fashion Council Caroline Rush added that as everyone’s eyes is on the amazing collections at the London Fashion Week, their partnership with Vanish is to remind the people about the joy of restyling and reimagining their wardrobes so that their clothes could be given the lifespan they deserve. Hence for exploring positive consumption for a more sustainable world, they are dedicated to working with Vanish.