Save the Children is urging people to hold clothes swaps and scour vintage shops rather than buy new Christmas jumpers for its annual charity event on Friday (December 13th).
According to the Guardian this comes after research found that 95 per cent of the novelty items for sales contained plastic.
Research by Hubbub, the environmental charity, estimates that 12million jumpers will be bought this year, resulting in plastic waste.
As two out of five Christmas jumpers are only worn once over the festive period, and one in three adults under 35 buys a new Christmas jumper every year, many of the sweaters are expected to end up as single-use items.
Consumers can also request a recyclable bag online to use for donating old jumpers to sell in Save the Children charity shops across the UK.
“As we have become more aware of the impact that fast fashion is having on the environment, we have been working hard to make sure that people can still take part in this annual event, without exacerbating the enormous climate problems we now face and which, we are aware, is one of the biggest threats to children around the world,” said Gemma Sherrington, the charity’s executive director of marketing and fundraising.
“Therefore we are trying harder than ever before for Christmas jumper day 2019 to be the most sustainable day yet. We are encouraging people to reuse old jumpers, buy jumpers from charity shops, hold jumper swaps and create their own – and if people really do need to buy a new jumper, we would encourage them to invest in one that they will wear for years to come.”