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To think the Save the Children Christmas Jumper fundraiser is wrong-headed

35 replies

HumanBurrito · 13/11/2024 19:00

Heard an ad for this on the radio. Great cause, no questioning that. But I find it a bit wrong-headed to base a campaign around Xmas jumpers. This sort of fast fashion novelty wear is clearly an environmental disaster and many people will be buying them from chain store suppliers that use unregulated third-world (child) labour to make jumpers from petrochemical-based fabrics and dyes that cause dreadful pollution, not to mention the environmental cost of shipping them halfway round the world. Surely this is just compounding the problem they are trying to solve? At the very least STC should be encouraging people to shop sustainably (I can't see anything about that on the campaign website, happy to be proved wrong if it is on there).

‘Tis the season for Christmas jumpers -- but the fad reveals the problems with fast fashion

With the rising popularity of Christmas jumpers, stores are under pressure to produce hordes of the festive clothing. But this fast fashion comes at a cost.

https://www.verdict.co.uk/christmas-jumpers-damaging-the-environment/?cf-view

OP posts:
IncessantNameChanger · 13/11/2024 19:33

I buy my kids Christmas jumpers second hand and without fail sell them on Vinted. They sell well. So I'm guessing I'm not alone. I can't belive anyone is buying and binning them yearly

Runnersandtoms · 13/11/2024 19:31

Of course people don't have to buy new and there are lots of options for re-wear, diy ones, swap or second hand. However, especially with kids where they grow out if them each year, a huge amount of parents have literally no imagination to think outside popping to Tesco or Primark, or buying on Amazon. It's the same with fancy dress. Apart from a small percentage who create their own costume from existing items, the vast majority order identical brand new outfits online.

As OP suggests, I think the message about not buying new should be part of the campaign.

StMarie4me · 13/11/2024 19:27

helpfulperson · 13/11/2024 19:04

I think it's an example of something being what you make it. I've worn the same jumper every year since they started it. Pre Covid we had an office competion and most of the jumpers were either worn before or made from plain jumpers with tinsel/baubles etc on, or people taking an unusual slant such as one of the guys who came in a Val Doonican jumper.

So people don't have to buy into the fast fashion consumerism.

Snap!

HumanBurrito · 13/11/2024 19:26

Sure, some people rewear and local organisers take it on themselves to promote sustainable use. But millions of new jumpers are still sold. The point is, why is STC not promoting sustainability as a central plank of the campaign?

OP posts:
StringOrNothing · 13/11/2024 19:14

Our local Save The Children shop starts selling a selection of second hand jumpers weeks in advance.

VanillaPlanifolia · 13/11/2024 19:11

Thing is people are going to jumper anyway so might as well make it for charity

Frowningprovidence · 13/11/2024 19:11

I think most people wear them for serial years and to several events and swap them around a bit amongst friends and family. Or get then from charity shops or schools do jumper swaps etc.

People that do buy them do so from the same shops they would buy a non Christmas jumper in. So is my supermarket jumper better than my supermarket Christmas jumper.

But I do agree the website shoukd encourage sustainability and give ideas.

DurhamDurham · 13/11/2024 19:10

We have a Christmas jumper day at work and we've all worn the same jumpers for at least the last five years 😆

modgepodge · 13/11/2024 19:06

I’ve worked at 2 schools which do it, and both do a xmas jumper sale/swap the week before to encourage second hand/reuse and possibly raise a bit of extra money from the sale too.

helpfulperson · 13/11/2024 19:04

I think it's an example of something being what you make it. I've worn the same jumper every year since they started it. Pre Covid we had an office competion and most of the jumpers were either worn before or made from plain jumpers with tinsel/baubles etc on, or people taking an unusual slant such as one of the guys who came in a Val Doonican jumper.

So people don't have to buy into the fast fashion consumerism.

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