Celebrities unite to support Traid’s ‘Closet Clear Out Challenge’ campaign this September

Celebrating 25 years as London’s leading fashion charity, this September sees Traid launch their largest campaign to date, their ‘Closet Clear-out Challenge’. Backed by a host of celebrities including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Erin O’Connor, Sharon Horgan, Caryn Franklin MBE, Michelle Dockery, Gilles Peterson, Patrick Grant, Jim (aka Vic Reeves) & Nancy Moir and more, all supporting the campaign; Traid aim to generate 250,000 garment donations throughout the month of September to help fund vital global projects focused on supporting garment workers, their families, and organic cotton farmers, enabling a future of change. The Challenge serves as a powerful call to action to participate, share their donation stories, and challenge their friends and followers to do the same.

Why?

In a world where fashion often leads to waste, Traid are challenging the status quo. Every second, the equivalent of a rubbish truck of textiles is buried or burned.(1) 30% of the UK’s unwanted clothes end up in landfill. That’s around one billion garments burned or buried each year = £140 million worth of clothes. (2) This can’t continue. With the ‘Closet Clear-out Challenge’, Traid are championing second-hand seasonal style and making conscious choices that look good, feel good and do good.

How does it work?

PICK. CLICK. COLLECT. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. PICK out the pieces you want to donate.
2. CLICK onto their website and book a free home collection.
3. They’ll COLLECT, curate, and resell your quality second-hand clothes to fund good causes and influence change in the fashion industry.*

October will see the campaign results come to life across all Traid stores, where customers will be able take part in a ‘Traid Treasure Hunt’ to hunt down all the gems donated from our super generous celebrity supporters, as well as all our customers. With the potential for 250,000 quality garments available to purchase, there’s sure to be something for everyone!

The global second-hand market is expected to grow 9X faster than the broader retail clothing sector by 2027.(3)Traid are the only charity with the sole purpose of advocating for a better fashion industry and have always been a second-hand pioneer on a mission to change fashion for the better, committed to reusing and re-homing second-hand fashion. With enough clothes on the planet to dress the next six generations*(4), Traid firmly believes that second-hand should be your first choice. To date, by selling second-hand clothing, Traid supported at least 700,000 garment workers, their families, and their communities, put 233 million garments back into use, saving 628,638 tonnes of CO2 and 106.6 million m3 of water,  and have absolutely no intention of slowing down.

“I’m so excited about our ‘Closet Clear-Out Challenge’ launching – not only does it have the potential to make such a huge difference to the projects we support, but it’s such a simple initiative for people to be part of – Donate your clothes and be part of the change! 65% of the population are now wearing something second-hand, we are on a mission to make this 100%. There is always new life in your unwanted clothes and this season especially, we’ll do everything we can to find it. We know it’s time the fashion industry changed for the better and I’m proud that Traid can be part of the solution.”

Maria Chenoweth, Chief Executive, Traid.