M&S brings back Shwopping clothes recycling scheme
M&S has brought back its Shwopping clothes recycling scheme in partnership with Oxfam.
The scheme was temporarily paused in March to enable M&S staff to focus on putting in place additional measures needed in-store during the Covid-19 pandemic.
M&S hopes the scheme will benefit from a rise in wardrobe clear-outs during lockdown by enabling customers to donate unwanted clothes, shoes, bras and accessories from any brand in nearly 290 M&S stores.
All items are then sent to Oxfam to be resold in one of its shops or online, although some will be reused through the charity’s social enterprise in Senegal or be recycled into new materials such as mattress fillings.
The Shwopping scheme has raised nearly £23 million from the sale of donated items since 2008.
Carmel McQuaid, head of sustainable business for M&S, said: “At M&S, our goal is to source all our products with care and ensure nothing we make goes to waste. We want our customers to be confident that the clothes they buy at M&S are made to last, but if they finish wearing their old favourites, we make it easy to give them a new purpose through Shwopping. It’s a brilliant programme that many of our customers rely on as they shop with us for new staples—and now more than ever it’s perfect for those who have been decluttering.”
Photo by Georgia Hawkins.
