More than a quarter of Brits (27%) attending a festive event this year – including New Year’s Eve celebrations – are planning to buy pre-loved party outfits, a new YouGov survey on behalf of Oxfam has found.
Of those who bought a new outfit for a Christmas or New Year party last year, almost 30% admitted they only wore it once, while 40% only wore it two or three times, and 7% admitted to never wearing their new party purchase.
The survey also found that nearly half (47%) of those intending to buy a new outfit said they were most likely to buy it as a “treat” to themselves, while 22% said they didn’t own any suitable clothing. The third most popular reason was because people “felt good wearing something new” (15%).
With 73% of Brits buying new outfits expecting to spend between £10 and £60, Oxfam is encouraging them to make the swap to pre-loved party clothes this year to “help save money and the planet”. The charity says consumers can also donate their party looks for someone else to enjoy.
Lorna Fallon, Retail Director at Oxfam, said: “We all want to look and feel good over the festive party season, but it doesn’t have to be at the expense of our planet. It is clear that despite spending money on something new, many outfits are cast to the back of our wardrobes after being worn just once or twice.
“By choosing to buy second-hand at Oxfam, you can find a beautiful outfit that is new to you – and also help reduce the demand for new clothes, help our planet and raise vital funds to tackle poverty and inequality around the world.”
Last year, Oxfam calculated that if all UK adults planning to buy festive fashion items at Christmas bought them second-hand, it could prevent 66 million kg of harmful carbon dioxide emissions from entering the atmosphere. That is equivalent to a plane flying from London to the North Pole 822 times.
Oxfam is calling for an end to throwaway festive fashion, urging people to shop second-hand, and it has even got celebrity endorsement for the campaign.
Gavin and Stacey actress Allison Steadman, who will be appearing in a new Christmas special of the popular show on BBC One on Christmas Day, said: “Getting dressed up at Christmas is one of my favourite things about the holidays. There is no need to splash out on buying a brand-new dress that you might only wear once – you can find something fabulous second-hand which helps save you money, is better for the environment and helps a good cause.”
Coronation Street actress and businesswoman Kimberley Hart-Simpson said: “There is nothing I love more than having a good rummage around the charity shops at Christmas to see what I might find. Second-hand absolutely does not mean second best – you can find something totally unique, that feels good and does good, by raising money at a time when it is needed most.”
Supermodel and activist, Eunice Olumide, said: “With the current climate crisis, we all need to be thinking about shopping more sustainably. It can be really tempting to buy new clothes over the Christmas period when we have parties and New Year’s Eve coming up, but you can find something just as show stopping and fabulous by shopping second-hand and helping the planet.”
The YouGov survey of 2,311 adults (aged 18+) was carried out online between 7-8 November 2024.
