Edge Hill University

Edge Hill University interview clothing collection - No smart wear? No problem! Our approach to circular economy

Since March 2022, students have had the opportunity to access sustainably sourced interview attire at no cost, thanks to the provision of second-hand clothing. An in-house survey revealed that 69% of students had considered the cost of work wear, and a remarkable 92% expressed that they would benefit from a service offering free interview clothing. These findings clearly demonstrate a significant demand for a project aimed at supporting students with their interview attire.

This project addresses the financial needs of students and creates a positive environmental impact by reducing waste, stopping clothing from ending up in landfill, and encourages students and staff to recycle and reduce their consumption of brand-new clothing items.

To-date, 109 students have engaged with the project resulting in rehoming and repurposing 207 items of clothing. This has successfully diverted approximately 50kg of waste from landfills and achieved a substantial CO2e savings of 2761.3kg (savings are attributed to reduced need for new clothing production).

Top 3 Learnings

1. Students are inspired to embrace circular economy through projects that promote reusing and recycling.
2. Individuals can feel confident and dress professionally whilst embracing second-hand culture.
3. Creating an impact doesn’t have to cost the earth, great results from minimal costs!