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Senior poverty is a key concern of the post-COVID economic landscape. A bulletin from Age UK reported that DWP figures for April 2026 show that “one in seven – equivalent to 1.7 million older people – [are] living in relative low-income poverty.” [1] These findings relate to the 2024/25 period, during which many seniors lost access to their Winter Fuel Allowance. While Age UK notes that legislation has since been reformed to support seniors with incomes under £35,000, their

We recently announced on our socials and email newsletter that we had created a new Impact page on our website, to help show the difference that we are making as a charity. This page includes information about: Who we help - the main groups of people in the UK that receive charity shop gift cards from us Our impact areas - the situations that our work helps to support Our impact in numbers - the key numbers including the number of people we have supported and the value of gif

To celebrate Volunteers Week 2026, we're publishing another Volunteer Profile, shining the light on one of our volunteers who give up their time to help our mission. Meet Freddie Rolls - a writer who is part of our Insights team and helps to draw attention to important topics, including clothing poverty and body image in youth, sustainable fashion initiatives and how defining clothing poverty is a multi-layered issue. Here's a Q&A with Freddie where you can read more about hi

This article examines what would be required if clothing were measured as a basic condition of everyday life, rather than only as a material or a cost.

When budgets force difficult spending decisions, clothing is never just clothing. It’s integral to people feeling prepared, included and able to participate in everyday life. News fills with images of conflict and instability brings concern for those directly affected. Shock at the scale of suffering. A sense of events unfolding far away. But global instability eventually arrives in everyday life, not just through headlines, but through household accounting. Clothing sits in

We are pleased to announce that Clothing Collective has now become a registered charity in Scotland. We have supported some Scottish charities previously with clothing gift cards, such as Survivors of Human Trafficking Scotland, however this move means we can increase our presence and impact in Scotland. Talking about the news, Antony Wroe, our CEO and Founder said: "Becoming registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator marks an important new chapter for our c

This article is an evidence-led account of clothing poverty after Covid-19, and how it became part of the cost-of-living crisis rather than a separate issue.

This article examines who carries responsibility when clothing is treated as both essential and expendable.

Understanding what EPR achieved for packaging helps explain why textiles lag and what is structurally missing.

The original idea of sustainable development.

Millions of teenagers in the U.K. worry about their body image. A 2019 survey from the Mental Health Foundation [1] found that: 31% of teenagers felt ashamed in relation to their body image 40% said social media had caused them worry about their body image 35% had stopped eating due to body image concerns 35% worry about their body image every day The International Journal of Scientific Development and Research’s (IJSDR) 2025 paper ‘Clothing Choices and Self-Image Among A

Clothing is often framed as a basic material need that is functional, seasonal, and widely accessible. However, this framing is incomplete without understanding that clothing not only covers the body but communicates one’s identity. It is frequently reduced to a purely practical set of items that everyone has, yet research consistently positions clothing as something far more fundamental: a cultural and social symbol. It shapes how individuals express who they are, how they a

What it is. Where it sits. How it is measured.

How sustainability is defined, organised and measured in UK policy.

How spreading the cost keeps poverty out of sight.

What is necessary and what is required to belong in a contemporary society?

Today sees the launch of the 50/50 prize draw raffle, powered by RaiseHero , which gives you the chance to win some amazing prizes AND raise valuable funds for us in the process. The raffle, which runs until 22:00 on 30 June 2026, is offering a prize of a Suzuki Jimny, plus Ninja and Shark goodies to one winner. Alternatively, if you do win, you could choose £20,000 in tax free cash instead. Tickets are available for £5, £10, £25 or £50 and we receive 50% of the monies donate

Combatting clothing poverty is complex. It isn’t just about meeting a significant material need, but respecting the dignity derived from choice and access. Clothing Collective works on a donation-based model that takes financial contributions and transforms them into gift cards – ensuring people can choose independently, based on their needs and personal preferences. That said, we recognise that meaningful change happens across a broader ecosystem. In this piece, I will highl

The circular economy is increasingly presented as a solution to environmental pressure from production and consumption. In UK policy discussions, it appears in government strategies, waste policy documents and industry initiatives as a framework for reducing waste, conserving resources and lowering emissions.

"Becoming more mindful about clothing means looking at every fibre, at every seed and every dye, and seeing how to make it better. We don’t want SUSTAINABILITY to be our edge. We want it to be universal." Eileen Fisher, fashion designer (2014) Sustainability is as much a social issue as it is an environmental one. According to WRAP, “extending the lifespan of clothing by just nine months could reduce carbon, water, and waste footprints by up to 20%, saving £5 billion in reso