03 December 2021

Why you should buy your Christmas jumper second-hand this year – and where to find one

03 December 2021

Hip hip hooray – Christmas Jumper Day (December 10) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and dressing for a good cause has never been more fun or fashionable.

With so many fast fashion brands cashing in on the festive fun – from light up nose reindeers to sequinned ribbons, snowmen, snowflakes and penguins galore – the Christmas jumper has sky rocketed in the style stakes and is no longer a novelty knit… more a ho, ho, ho holiday must have.

But spare a thought for the shelves of jumpers that get tossed aside, worn but once a year, and end up going into landfill.

According to environmental charity, Hubbub, Christmas jumpers are ‘particularly problematic as so many contain plastic,’ and are made from a high proportion of acrylic. A study by Plymouth University found that acrylic was responsible for releasing nearly 730,000 microfibres per wash – five times more than polyester-cotton blend fabric, and nearly 1.5 times as many as pure polyester.

To mark Christmas Jumper Day, Save the Children encourage everyone to wear their favourite jumper and donate £2 to the charity. But by buying second-hand, with the added bonus of helping save the planet, you’ll have donated tenfold to the season’s sparkliest movement.

Here’s how to up your jumper game and be stylish, sustainably…

Don’t feel like you can’t wear the same one twice

Designer or high street, remember the love you felt first time round and wear the same sweater with pride. You can always update it by sewing ribbons on the sleeves or cutting out circulars from an old white t-shirt and adding a snow scene.

Visit your local charity shops

Save the Children have a dedicated online shop for vintage and second hand jumpers with 100% of profits from every product going towards helping to change the lives of children across the world. From snazzy sequins to alpine ski scenes, they’re a firm favourite.

Also putting the planet first, Oxfam Shop have a selection online but there’s nothing like rummaging through the rails to find one that really catches your eye.

Check out online marketplace Depop

As well as finding all your favourite fashion brands, jewellery, beauty and more, Depop has a brilliant selection of second hand Christmas jumpers. With page after page to scroll through, Santa’s little helpers are at the ready.

Try vintage chain Beyond Retro

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One of the great things about shopping for a second hand Christmas jumper is discovering leading vintage retailers such as Beyond Retro – and joy of joys, how you can create a capsule, sustainable wardrobe year round with their well edited vintage collections. With a dizzying selection to choose from, it’s a one stop shop for all-singing, all-dancing knitwear.

Explore Gumtree

Whether you’re after a Christmas jumper for the kids, your partner, or the whole family, you’re guaranteed to find a vast selection of festive finds when you jingle all the way on Gumtree.

Swap with family and friends

Chances are your best mate or sister has a woolly they won’t mind letting you borrow and you can always hand it back at the end of the day.

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