Wardrobe clobber costs uncool £30bn

Making more use of unwanted clothes could cut waste and the use of resources and unlock financial gains, the study on the impacts of clothing by waste reduction body Wrap found.

A third of all clothes bought end up in landfill, but if they were given to charities, local authorities or other organisations for reuse and recycling, they could be worth £140m.

The average household has £4,000 worth of clothes in the wardrobe, but almost a third goes unworn for more than a year – most commonly because it no longer fits.

The report suggests people could make use of clothes for longer, by passing them to friends or family members, exchanging or sharing them.