Tuesday, 08 October 2024

Traid’s ‘Closet Clear Out Challenge’ campaign has exceeded expectations with extensive celebrity and public support & launch ‘Traid Treasures’ with silent auction this week.

Celebrating 25 years as London’s leading fashion charity, this September saw Traid launch their largest campaign to date, their ‘Closet Clear-out Challenge’. Backed by a host of celebrities that grew throughout the campaign including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Erin O’Connor, Sharon Horgan, Laura Bailey, Caryn Franklin MBE, Michelle Dockery, Gilles Peterson, Patrick Grant, Jim (aka Vic Reeves) & Nancy Moir all supporting the campaign.

Traid’s aim was to generate the ambitious target of 250,000 garment donations throughout the month of September which they surpassed by reaching just under 300,000 in total. These donations equate to 92,480kg of clothing being put back into circulation to be resold and reworn, equalling 786 tonnes of CO2 emissions, (roughly the same as taking around 596 cars off the road for a year) and 147,968 m3 of water being saved, (this volume could supply drinking water for 202,690 people for an entire year).

The donation sales will help Traid fund vital global projects focused on supporting garment workers, their families, and communities, enabling a future of change. The Challenge served as a powerful call to action to participate, and ultimately understand that everyone’s wardrobe has the power to change lives.

Available across all twelve Traid stores throughout London, from this Thursday 10th October, the campaign donations will be available in-store including curated ‘Traid Treasures’ collections and key celebrity donations also available via an online silent auction.

From Dior to Prada, Vivienne Westwood, Christian Louboutin and more, campaign supporters didn’t hold back from donating absolute treasures, so this October Traid are giving everyone the chance to bid on their favourite celebrity item. Alongside discovering everyday essentials and designer delights available in stores across London. The silent auction will be run through interactive QR codes in all Traid stores, online at traid.org.uk and through socials. With the winning bids confirmed at the end of the month and the chance for all customers to participate.

From Bargains, Basics & Burberry, this campaign looks set to get avid shoppers excited, as thrift aficionados as well as those discovering second-hand for the first time, will be able to experience the thrill of the find without the negative impact.

Why the need for the campaign?

In a world where fashion often leads to waste, Traid are always 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.

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 over 233.5 million garments back into use, reducing carbon emissions by 637,648 tonnes, saving 108.2 million m3 of water, and have absolutely no intention of slowing down.

“I am so proud of this campaign and grateful to everyone who got involved, cleared out their closets and donated such brilliant garments to Traid. Over 250,000 garments received and still counting! Your donated clothes will ultimately have a huge impact on the projects and people that we fund, enabling us to continue working towards a fairer fashion world, so thank you for being a part of our Closet Clear-out Challenge and enjoy shopping in-store from 10th October onwards.”

Maria Chenoweth, Chief Executive, Traid.





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