Moving the Needle on textiles in landfill with Salvos Stores, Australian Red Cross and Vinnies NSW
As Australians enter their peak buying time for new clothes, the Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley, has joined the nation’s biggest charity retailers to encourage shoppers to Move the Needle on clothing waste.
Moving the Needle is a new campaign, encouraging shoppers to use every new purchase as a reminder to donate their past purchases to charity rather than add to the 311,040 Tonnes of clothing waste generated in Australia each year.
Moving the Needle brings together brands and charity retailers to engage consumers in changing behaviour and reducing impacts on our environment – while still looking on-trend for summer.
Minister Ley joins Edwina Morgan of Salvos Stores, Susan Goldie of Vinnies NSW and Richard Wood of the Australian Red Cross at a Chatswood ‘reverse pop-up’ store in Sydney’s Chatswood Chase where shoppers deposit, rather than purchase clothes.
The average Australian buys 27 kilograms of new textiles each year and at the same time accounts for 23kg of textile waste going to landfill. Move the Needle is targeting a 20% reduction in textile waste by 2022.
“Summer fashion season and Christmas are when people shop the most for clothes and we want them to continue to support Australian designers and retailers,” Minister Ley said.
“Moving the Needle is about re-purposing the not so old clothes you no longer wear and donating them to a local charity. For every new outfit donate an older one hiding in the back of the closet to help raise funds for those in need.”
Omer Soker, CEO of National Association of Charitable Recycling Organisations (NACRO) said that donating to charity is an excellent way of keeping clothes out of landfill.
“Charitable donations can extend the life of pre-loved, usable products, by keeping them out of landfill. Giving your clothes a second life for even nine months could reduce carbon, water and waste emissions by up to 30%. And you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing your donations make a huge social impact, with the proceeds going to social welfare programs to help the most disadvantaged people and communities. Moving the Needle encourages customers to extend the life of their clothing by donating to one of 3,000 charitable donation points across the country which will also help reduce the number of textiles sent to landfill here in Australia.”
By beginning to encourage customers, at a national scale to donate clothing, we can start a movement which will take a step towards reducing the impact clothing is having on our environment. This will allow brands, charity retailers and customers to build the future of circularity with textiles in Australia.
The Empty Shop X Moving the Needle pop up will be at Chatswood Chase, Shopping Centre from 12- 18 October. Those not in Sydney are encouraged to get involved by donating to your nearest donation location which can be found at movingtheneedle.com.au
Event Details:
Moving the Needle Launch Vicinity Chatswood Chase on Sunday 13th October at 11.30am
Event Hosts & Available for Interview:
Sussan Ley, Minister for Environment
Edwina Morgan, General Manager Customer & Strategy, Salvos Stores
Richard Wood, Head of Retail, Australian Red Cross
Susan Goldie, EO Retail Transformation, Vinnies NSW
For media inquiries please contact:
Aife O’Loughlin on 0459 601 828 or aife.oloughlin@salvationarmy.org.au
The National Retail Association are proud partners of the Moving the Needle initiative.