Get ready for Sustainable September

Last year saw the launch of our first ever Sustainable September campaign, aiming to raise awareness of the benefits of second-hand shopping, de-bunk the myths around charity shops, and ultimately, work towards being more planet positive. Throughout the month, we encouraged everyone in our community to exclusively buy and wear second-hand clothing, whether it was purchased in one of our high street charity shops, our virtual shop, or even from other pre-loved outlets.

Our shop teams and the staff here at Winsley House jumped on the bandwagon with our very first “Wear it at Work” week, embracing their favourite second-hand pieces, while our Instagram takeover shared plenty of style tips and inspiration throughout the month. To help shoppers along the way with their bargain hunting, we held a Warehouse sale at our Retail HQ in Corsham, along with a Kilo sale in Trowbridge. These pop-up events, combined with a local school hosting a second-hand non-uniform day, raised a whopping £4,200 to help support palliative and end of life care in our community, and that’s before we even mention the sales generated in our shops across the month. Not only that, but the events also helped to divert an eye-watering 435kg of unwanted clothing from landfill – the same weight as a grand piano!

As we move into 2023, we’re delighted to bring Sustainable September back for its second year, and we want as many people as possible across our community to get involved!

Saying no to fast fashion

Sustainable September also aims to highlight the negative impact that fast fashion has on our planet. Popular fast fashion outlets have been known to add thousands of new styles to their website every single day, and globally, 100-150 billion garments are produced each year. Shockingly, it’s also estimated that 60% of these garments will be discarded within a year. Taking a closer look, most articles of clothing only get 7-10 wears before they’re thrown away, with many attributing this to influencer culture of not “being tagged in the same look twice.”

It’s not just hefty amounts of textile waste created by fast fashion, either. Clothing production produces more emissions than international plane travel and shipping worldwide, and the fashion industry is known to produce 20% total water waste globally.

By considering our fashion choices more carefully, we can all work towards being more planet positive. However, it’s also important to consider the benefits it has closer to home. When you shop with Dorothy House, not only are you supporting shops on your high-street, but you’re also making a big difference to local patients and families. Every single purchase in our shops, no matter how big or small, helps us to deliver outstanding care, free of charge, across our 700sq mile patch.

How you can get involved

There are plenty of ways to get involved in this year’s Sustainable September campaign – the easiest and simplest being to pop into your nearest Dorothy House shop and share your purchases with us on social media. We’ll be taking over our Instagram feed again with top style tips and inspiration, but we also want to share your photos too! Tag @dorothyhousehc in your snaps, and don’t forget to use #SustainableSeptember – you may even spot yourself on our feed!

There will also be a number of events taking place that you can get involved with, kicking things off with our Corsham Warehouse sale on 26 August. If you’re new to second-hand shopping, it’s a great opportunity to pick up some bargains and start putting together your Sustainable September wardrobe!

Once you’ve gotten into the swing of embracing all things pre-loved, you can also join us for our Pop-up Warehouse sale on Saturday 23 September here at Winsley House. We’ll have all the bargains you’re used to finding at our regular events, and of course, you’ll be able to fill a bag of clothing for just £10! Simply turn up on the day and we’ll provide you with a bag to fill with goodies.

Community events

If you’re a general fashion fantastic, you’ll also want to come along to The Sustainable Fashion Show, taking place on 7 September, hosted by Eye For Style and Lifework Communities in aid of Dorothy House. The event will showcase the finest in pre-loved style, with models including our very own Dorothy House Ambassadors: Bath Rugby player Tom Dunn, British Swimmer Steph Millward MBE, and Young People’s Ambassador Jess Sheridan. Tickets cost £20 with all proceeds going to Dorothy House, and you’ll even be given a complimentary glass of fizz on arrival!

Finally, we’ll also be supporting the Strength in Style Fashion show at the Assembly Rooms in Bath on Thursday 28 September, an exclusive and collaborative event supporting We Get It, Children’s Hospice South West, and Dorothy House. Set to showcase the latest styles from independent Bath-based businesses and local charity shops, this is one event you’ll want to get into your diary!

Resources for schools and businesses

Sustainable September is a fantastic initiative for local schools and businesses to get involved with, and this year we’ve produced toolkits to get you started. You’ll find downloadable posters which you can customise, as well as social media tiles which you can share to your own feeds. Whether you host a non-uniform day, clothing swap, or host your very own sustainable fashion show, we’d love to hear from you. Don’t forget to tag us in any social media posts too!

Donate and feel great!

If you’re making room in your home for all the wonderful goodies you plan to pick up during Sustainable September, don’t forget, you can donate your items and send them to a new home. Whether you pop down to your nearest Dorothy House shop, or arrange a free furniture collection, your quality donations will help to generate much-needed income to support the patients and families who need us.