British shoppers predicted to spend £2.4billion on festive fashion items
New research has revealed the extent of fast fashion in the UK as British shoppers are predicted to spend £2.4billion on outfits for the holiday party season, many of which will barely ever be worn again.
According to the study from environmental charity Hubbub, after shelling out an average of £73.90 per person on partywear for the festive period, one in five people have admitted they won’t wear the same outfit to more than one party or event. The study included over 3,000 participants, as well as an analysis of fabrics used among 17 online, high street and designer outlets.
Out of 169 party dresses found in the survey, 94% are partially or completely made from plastic and plastic-derived materials. Only 24% of participants however were aware of the amount of plastic used in their partywear.
Men are surprisingly predicted to spend more – £88.14 per person, compared with £63.12 for women.
The problem also extends to so-called 'ugly sweaters'. Hubbub found in an earlier report that two in five Christmas sweaters are only worn once.
The charity aims to show alternatives to disposable and fast fashion, raising awareness of the environmental issues associated and encouraging people to think differently. They aim to tackle the main aims of fast fashion, including discouraging shoppers from being be frequent buyers and sticking to Spring/Summer or Autumn/Winter, as opposed to 52 ‘micro-seasons’.
