Scots spend at least £20million on Christmas jumpers

THIS year, Scottish people are expected to spend in excess of £20million this year on Christmas jumpers alone - most of which will be worn twice.

Nearly a third of Scots admitted to owning at least one Christmas jumper already and 1 in 5 said they planned to buy one for this Christmas.

But 40 per cent of Christmas jumper wearers expect to wear them just once or twice this November and December with 30 per cent expect to wear then three to five times and 11% expect to wear them six to ten times.

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In a bid to reduce wastage across the country, Love Your Clothes in Scotland has launched a competition calling all Scots to up cycle a pre-loved jumper as an alternative to buying a new one, or swap last year’s with friends, family and colleagues to save money and the environment. But just 16 per cent of people said they would consider decorating an existing jumper to make it festive.

With the clothing industry having the fifth-biggest environmental footprint of any UK industry more urgently needs to be done to reduce the environmental impact of garments by keeping clothes longer.

Giving an old jumper a new festive lease of life by up cycling or passing on is the best Christmas present Scots could give the environment.

Lynn Wilson, from Zero Waste Scotland, which delivers Love Your Clothes in Scotland, said: “Our competition – 12 Jumpers of Christmas – aims to inspire people across the country to get up cycling.

“With many Christmas jumpers being worn only once or twice over the festive season, we are encouraging all Scots to transform theirs or swap it. Who knows we could see a number of couture worthy Christmas creations which of course also add some ‘green’ style to wardrobes across the country.

“Love Your Clothes recognises that buying a Christmas jumper is often in response to charity fundraising appeals and by jazzing up a jumper and donating instead people can really help the charity and the environment at the same time.”

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Extending the length of time we wear clothes by just three months would lead to a 5-10 per cent reduction in their carbon, water and waste footprints.

Lynn continues: “We know that the average lifetime of clothes is just over two years. Entering the 12 Jumpers competition is a great way for people to extend the lifetime of their old jumpers and remember a jumper is for life not just for Christmas!”

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The research also reveals that nearly 8 in 10 said they would not consider creating their own jumper with 85 per cent saying knitting one was unlikely.

So to encourage more budding stylists to get involved, Love Your Clothes has launched a section of their website with tips and tutorials and is encouraging people to get advice from Twitter using the hashtag #12jumpers.

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