M&S is embarking on a major drive to give pre-loved clothing a second life, with a free postal donation service.

The trial, in partnership with Oxfam, is funded by the M&S Plan A Accelerator Fund which has committed £1m to innovative projects to help achieve net-zero goals, and allows consumers to donate unwearable but too-good-too waste clothing, alongside their preloved wearable clothing, via a simple online postal donation service.

The trial forms part of the ACT Project which is being led by the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT). The UKFT is working to develop a new framework towards a UK-based automated-sorting and pre-processing facility (ATSP) that will recycle clothing unsuitable for re-sale to make new clothing which can be sold in the UK to create a completely circular system.

Consumers can use the service to donate any item of preloved clothing from any retailer, as well as soft furnishings textile waste such as bed linen, towels, cushions, tablecloths, and tea towels. M&S’ in-store Shwopping scheme continues to be for wearable, hand-me-down quality clothing only.

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