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Jeff Banks launches £2m NSPCC Great British Clothes Clearout

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15 January 2010

Fashion designer Jeff Banks today (15 January) called on the nation to join the Great British Clothes Clearout and donate unwanted clothes to raise £2m for the NSPCC.

Jeff Banks cleared out his own warehouse for the launch, donating over 1,000 garments from his many design collections.

The NSPCC aims to collect more than five million bags of second hand clothing by 2012 in partnership with clothing collection agent Clothes Aid.

Jeff Banks said: "I think clothes are there to be worn, not be hidden away in your wardrobe! So I want everyone to join the NSPCC's Great British Clothes Clearout to help prevent cruelty to children.

"Everyone has a few fashion horrors hidden away at home. For me it's my suits. The ones from the 80s are probably back in fashion! So I'm having my own Clothes Clearout for the NSPCC - I hope everyone will join me and cast off those terrifying textiles!"

Donations of good quality used clothing can be made through convenient house to house collections. Donators should look out for NSPCC branded bags posted in their letterboxes with a printed Clothes Aid collection date.

Businesses and other organisations can also request a one-stop collection service from Clothes Aid for donations of 200 bags or more - raising even more money for the NSPCC. Clothes Aid has guaranteed to raise a minimum of £525,000 in the year of its partnership with the NSPCC.

NSPCC head of corporate partnerships Tracy Griffin said: "We know many people find it hard to give financially during this challenging economic climate. So giving unwanted clothes, shoes, or other textiles is a great alternative way for people to support the NSPCC."

"Join in the NSPCC Great British Clothes Clearout and start the new decade with only the clothes you love to wear in your wardrobe!"

Around two million tonnes of textiles are purchased in the UK every year, of which 60 percent ends up as waste. Clothes Aid extends lifespan of garments by diverting them from landfill to be sold in fashion-hungry European accession countries.

The NSPCC relies on the generosity of the general public for more than 85 percent of the funds it needs to raise each year. All the money raised through the Clothes Aid partnership will go towards the NSPCC's vital work in helping to end cruelty to children.

More information is available at www.nspcc.org.uk/greatbritishclothesclearout

More information about Clothes Aid and arranging a one stop bespoke collection at www.clothesaid.co.uk

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. Clothes Aid is the licensed clothing collection agent for the NSPCC in England, Wales, and Scotland. In Northern Ireland, Clothing Collections International (CCI) are organising clothes collections to raise funds for ChildLine.

2. NSPCC branded collection bags will be posted through letterboxes, stating the collection date. Filled bags should be left outside in clear view of the road on the morning the specified date, to avoid being missed by Clothes Aid collectors.

3. The NSPCC will receive £75 per tonne from house to house clothing collections, and £300 per tonne of clothing donated via one-stop collections organised by NSPCC supporters. A tonne of clothing is equivalent to around 200 bags.

4. Figures based on each bag collected averaging at 5kg, with one tonne of clothing equalling approx 200 bags, Clothes Aid estimate they need to collect 29,500 tonnes or 5,900,000 bags to meet the £2.3m target. Should clothing collections not generate the minimum guaranteed income, Clothes Aid will make up the balance for the NSPCC.

5. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) currently states that textile waste is the fastest growing type of household waste in the UK. Around 2 million tonnes of waste is bought in the UK every year, with over 60% ending up in landfill. Source: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/ business/products/roadmaps/clothing.htm

6. About the NSPCC The NSPCC is the UK's leading children charity specialising in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children. The NSPCC's vision is to end cruelty to children FULL STOP. The NSPCC runs projects and services across the United Kingdom and Channel Islands, including ChildLine, the UK's free, confidential 24-hour helpline for children and young people. The NSPCC helps over 10,000 children and their families every year.

7. Clothes Aid is one of the UK's leading licensed clothing collection agents, conducting house to house collections, and bespoke one stop collections, of used clothing to raise money for its partner charities. Clothes Aid raises funds for a number of national and regional charities including, Make A Wish Foundation UK, Noah's Ark Appeal, Papworth Hospital, Children's Hospice Association Scotland, and Zoe's Place Baby Hospice. Clothes Aid extends the end of life use of garments by diverting them from landfill, as recommended by the Government's road map on clothing. House to house clothing donations are then sold in fashion-hungry European accession countries.