The head of the United Nations (UN) wants the world to join together to make fashion friendlier to the planet.

Sunday 30 March is the UN’s International Day of Zero Waste, and this year’s focus is on fashion and textiles.

“Earth is a fashion victim,” said António Guterres. He said that the chemicals used to make clothes are often harmful to humans, wildlife and the environment.

He also said that every second, enough clothes to fill a garbage truck are burned or sent to landfill. However, he said there are signs of hope, because “consumers are increasingly demanding sustainability”.

One easy way to reduce our textile waste is by recycling clothes, and buying them second-hand from the likes of eBay, Oxfam and Vinted.

In 2019, we asked First News readers whether they bought or owned second-hand clothes, and seven in ten said they did. We’d love to know if that’s changed, so please vote below!