University of Hull study shows more younger people will be wearing second hand clothes this Christmas
More than half said they are likely to in future years
Last updated 24th Dec 2021
A YouGov poll commissioned by the University of Hull shows that young people are "increasingly turning their backs on fast fashion"
It found a quarter of 18 to 24-year-olds had turned to second-hand clothes for Christmas celebrations this year.
With 25% of 18 to 24-year-olds buying second-hand or rented clothes for the festive party season, more than half (58%) said they are likely to in future years according to the study.
The survey also shows younger people are far more likely to buy second-hand clothes or gifts for Christmas than the older generation, citing environmental concerns as their main consideration.
The University said renting, re-using or sharing clothes has been thrust into the spotlight in recent years by famous faces keen to throw light on environmental and ethical considerations.
These include the Prime Minister's wife, Carrie Johnson, who even rented a dress for their wedding in May, and the Duchess of Cambridge, who has developed a reputation for rotating and re-using her outfits.
"This study clearly shows that - whether driven by an environmental or ethical motive - young people are increasingly turning their backs on fast fashion," said Professor Dan Parsons, Director at Hull University's Energy & Environment Institute, which is home to more than 100 researchers committed to tackling climate change.
"We will have to live with the consequences of our throwaway culture for decades - if not centuries - to come, and discarded clothing created by the emergence of fast fashion has played a significant role in what is a tsunami of microplastic wastes around the world.
"It is encouraging to see that young people are now driving a move towards a new environmentally-conscious and aware society - renting and hiring clothing, and moving to saying a 'no' to fast fashion, is an important step in the right direction."
Prof Parsons said: "Many clothes are constructed of polymers and party clothes are used very infrequently, then discarded.
"The volume of plastics now in circulation globally means we have effectively entered a new geological period - geoscientists call this the Anthropocene - but the prevalence and distribution of waste plastics in the environment means I think we will eventually call this the plasticene - the plastic age."
The survey, which examined the attitudes of 2,094 adults across the UK, also found that only 5% of over-55s said they were wearing rented or second-hand clothing this Christmas, with less than a quarter saying they would consider buying second-hand or renting in the future.
More than half (51%) of women said they would consider wearing rented or second-hand clothes in future years, compared with 21% of men.
And 17% of 18-24-year-olds said they were likely to buy second-hand clothes or gifts for Christmas, citing environmental reasons as their main consideration.
The university also pointed to the impact of the fast fashion industry on modern-day slavery and other forms of exploitation.
Trevor Burnard, Director of the Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Emancipation at the University of Hull, said: "We need some cheerful news this Christmas. It is great to read that ethically aware young people are making a conscious choice to buy second-hand/vintage clothes.
"It is extremely important for everyone - not just young people - to take a stand in the fight against modern slavery and coercive labour practices.
"Even at an individual level, by making ethical purchasing decisions we can start to bring about meaningful change that will make a difference to people working in fashion supply chains around the world."
The fashion industry has been estimated to use 98 million tonnes of non-renewable resources and create 92 million tonnes of waste each year.
The dress Mrs Johnson wore to marry the Prime Minister in May retails at £2,870 but was hired from My Wardrobe HQ for just £45-per-day.