100% POLYESTER. Hidden away on the inside of a T-shirt on a tiny tag, written in even tinier text. Increasingly, polyester has found a place in our daily lives – becoming a part of our clothes, hats, bed linens, towels, curtains, furniture upholstery, and more.

Look closely at these shoes. This photograph was shown to several people without any context. Before you read any further, ask yourself a simple question. What story do these shoes tell? Here’s the truth.

Fashion is often described as a universal language of identity, creativity, status and belonging. In reality, the meanings attached to clothing are neither fixed nor applied equally. The same garment, hairstyle or aesthetic can be celebrated on one person while provoking suspicion, ridicule or exclusion on another. This inconsistency reveals an important sociological reality: clothing is not judged solely by what it is, but by who is wearing it.

Rather than asking why people cannot afford clothes, perhaps we should ask what pressures on the household budget came first.

Since 11 June, all eyes have been on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with knockout games currently in full swing across the United States, Canada and Mexico. But the frenzy which surrounds the competition has not been without controversy, as allegations of corruption towards FIFA reach an all-time high. The London School of Economics (LSE) has branded the 2026 tournament “a classic example of monopolistic power monetising against fan loyalty.”¹ With ticket prices stretching into the

In the last two decades, clothes shopping for plus-sized customers has improved significantly because of the body positive movement of the 2010s and the rise of social media. However, shopping whilst remaining ethical and on a budget is still increasingly difficult. Most clothing garments are made from cotton-blend polyester, which contains plastics that harm the environment over time, not to mention the unethical conditions such fast-fashion garments are being made in. For

A child may need shoes, wellies, sun hats, school uniform, outdoor clothing or enough clean clothes to last through the week. However, if that need does not fit a referral route, a grant scheme, a school policy or a safeguarding threshold, it can remain largely unseen.

If clothing sustainability policy were improving everyday life, what would we expect to see? Fewer people unable to replace worn-out essentials? Less reliance on emergency clothing provision? Better access to adequate clothing for work, school, weather and daily life?

As the school year comes to an end and summer holidays are set to begin, parents across the nation who face financial insecurity will inevitably have school shopping for the next academic year at the back of their minds. With the current economic climate being in a place of instability, and the cost-of-living rising, which in turn disproportionately affects those living under the poverty line, it leaves families stuck in-between a rock and a hard place. However, as more schoo

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

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.

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.