How to be sustainable with baby clothes

Why baby clothes are a sustainability problem

Baby clothes have a short working life. A survey of 1,000 UK mothers carried out by OnePoll for Marks & Spencer found that:

• the average child under one owns 56 outfits;
• each item is worn only around 12 times on average;
• more than half of parents (56%) admitted throwing baby clothes away because they didn't like them or they weren't practical.

Babies don't wear clothes out. They outgrow them. That makes baby clothes some of the easiest clothes in the house to reuse.

1. Buy less

• Start with a short list of basics. Our newborn checklist covers what the NHS suggests for the first few weeks.
• Know what you have in each size before you shop. Duplicates are the easiest waste to avoid.
• Ask gift-givers for the next size up, or for the basics you're actually short of.

2. Choose clothes that last

• Simple styles and colours that work together go further and mix into more outfits.
• Stretchy fabrics and adjustable cuffs fit for longer.
• Well-made basics survive more washes, so they're still good enough to pass on.

3. Say yes to second-hand

Hand-me-downs, swaps and second-hand shops are full of barely worn baby clothes. Wash them before use, and check for loose buttons, worn poppers and loose threads. Avoid cords or ties around the neck.

4. Look after what you have

• Wash full loads at lower temperatures where you can, and air-dry when the weather allows.
• Treat stains early so clothes stay good enough to pass on.
• Rotate clothes so the favourites don't wear out while others sit unworn.

5. Pass it on

• Resell: sites like Vinted make it easy to sell outgrown clothes, often in bundles by size.
• Swap or gift: friends, family and local parent groups are often glad of a bag of the next size.
• Donate: charity shops and local baby banks pass clothes on to families who need them.
• Recycle: for clothes too worn to reuse, use a textile recycling bank rather than the bin.

Questions parents ask

Is second-hand baby clothing safe?

Generally, yes. Wash it before use and check for loose buttons, damaged fastenings and cords or ties around the neck.

What's the easiest way to sell outgrown baby clothes?

Group them by size and season and list them as bundles on a resale site such as Vinted, or offer them to local parent groups.

What should I do with stained or worn-out baby clothes?

Use them as cloths around the house, or take them to a textile recycling bank. Many collect worn textiles as well as wearable ones.