A sustainable way to edit your wardrobe: Dorothy House’s partnership with Nick Hems Style
While this year’s Sustainable September campaign has focused on waste and donation quality, the overall aim of the campaign is to educate our communities on the benefits of secondhand shopping and why it’s so important to support your local charity shop.
We have 29 charity shops across our 800sq mile patch, each one playing a vital role in helping to generate income for the Hospice. In 2024, our Retail shops raised £5.8 million in sales. That’s £2 million more than what we currently receive from the government to fund our care; meaning that supporting your local Dorothy House shop is more important than ever. Alongside encouraging people in our community to regularly visit their local charity shop, Sustainable September is also about reducing waste and finding innovative ways to re-home preloved items.
Dorothy House’s partnership with Nick Hems Style
For more than 12 months, we’ve been working with Nick Hems Style to source high-quality donations for our Retail shops. Bath-based men’s personal stylist Nick Hems is an advocate for the transformative power of style and works with clients across the country.
One of the services Nick offers is the Wardrobe Edit, de-cluttering clothing and accessories that clients have, helping them create a wardrobe that is easy to wear, simple to coordinate, and fuss free. The goal of the partnership is to encourage Nick’s clients to donate their clothing to Dorothy House once the edit is complete. Not only does this partnership provide a way for Nick’s clients to re-home items they no longer wear across our 29 charity shops, but it also helps to generate vital income for the Hospice.
“This relationship allows me to help my clients further. It means that instead of them keeping hold of clothes that no longer serve them and that they don’t need, I can take them to Dorothy House, who can re-sell the clothing. It helps clients to clear out the wardrobe, which, a lot of the time is ready for new clothes and more of a capsule wardrobe. The relationship works perfectly. My clients move their old clothes on, and Dorothy House get new clothes which they can re-sell.” – Nick
Carrying out your own Wardrobe Edit – Nick’s top tips
If there’s ever a better time to carry out your own wardrobe edit, it’s during Sustainable September. To give you a helping hand, Nick has shared some of his top tips.
1: Be ruthless!
Pull everything out of your wardrobe at once. Clear your shelves, drawers, accessories and even shoes from your cupboards so you can see exactly what you’re working with and carry out your wardrobe edit effectively.
2: Work through each piece
Think to yourself, “have I worn this in the last 12-18 months?” Then, look at how the item fits you. If it’s been a while since you last wore it, try it on to check. If it doesn’t fit you, consider donating it or having it altered. A lot of the time, we wear don’t wear clothes if we know they don’t fit us well, so by taking it to a specialist for alterations, you can put it back in your wardrobe.
3: Your style matters
Ask yourself “does this fit my current style?” If you were shopping, would you buy it based on your style now? If not, donate it. If you’re reluctant to part with an item because it was expensive, you could look at selling it instead. If it’s going to clear some much-needed space and cut down your decision-making time in the morning, it’s much better out of your wardrobe!
4: Document what you have and what you need
Look at how you’re going to arrange your clothes in your wardrobe in a way that makes it easier for you to dress in the mornings. By doing this you can also document what you currently have and identify any gaps around what needs replacing. Asking yourself “what do I need right now?” will help you to shop more intentionally in the future, and most importantly, stop you from wasting money!
Hit your local charity shop like a pro
Sustainable September is also about showing your local charity shop some love, so Nick has also shared his top tips for making the most of your next visit.
1: Go in with intention
Understand what it is that you’re looking for before you visit. If you don’t, you’ll increase the possibility of purchasing things you don’t need.
2: Look at the garment quality
As you’re browsing the shelves, look at the quality of the material on anything that catches your eye. Look at the brand name and read the care label so that you know how to look after it moving forwards.
3: Try it on
As I say to all my clients, the most important element of style is fit. Try things on, ensure that they fit you and that it’s also something you’re likely to wear.
Strength in Style – a sustainable collaboration
In addition to working with us through his Wardrobe Edit service, we’re also excited to be working with Nick on the Strength in Style fashion show, taking place at Bath Abbey on Wednesday 24 September. The collaboration between Dorothy House, We Get It and Children’s Hospice South West not only raises funds for the three local charities, but also celebrates the power of community, highlights local businesses, and promotes sustainability. Tickets are still available, starting at £35 for general admission or £45 for the front row.
Get involved with Sustainable September
Our partnership with Nick and the return of Strength in Style are just two of the many exciting things happening throughout Sustainable September. We’ve recently launched our new umbrella brand, Threads for Care, a range of unique clothing created out of rag waste from our shops in collaboration with Amy Laws from There’s Only One, and Sharon Goold from Eco Bunting. You can also check out what’s happening in your local Dorothy House shop over on our dedicated Retail social media page, @dorothyhouse.shop, which features behind the scenes snippets as well as showcasing some of the fabulous items you can discover. If you’ve found a gem on your latest charity shop haul, be sure to tag us and use #SustainableSeptember!
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