Roadside photos highlight sad Aussie trend fuelled by 'impulsive' decisions
Research reveals clothing is the number one thing being discarded by Aussie households.
There has been a surge in the number of Aussie households discarding clothes as councils and secondhand stores struggle to keep up, with one expert telling Yahoo News the recent Black Friday sales will only exacerbate the issue.
The sad sight of clothes stuffed into bags and dumped on Aussie streets is becoming increasingly more common, and recent research has revealed clothes are indeed the number one item being discarded.
"The rise of fast fashion combined with seasonable trends and limited storage space tends to lead to this type of frequent wardrobe overhaul," storage and home expert Jordana Thirlwall told Yahoo News. "Black Friday sales really fuel impulse purchases, and they result in excess clothing being discarded."
As the founder of Super Easy Storage — who commissioned the research — Thirlwall said the fact that 36 per cent of Aussies are discarding their clothes "doesn't come as a surprise".
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Black Friday sales create difficult decision for Aussies
Thirlwall explained the "tension between consumerism and sustainability" is a never-ending battle for Aussies, with many understandably opting for fast-fashion options or jumping on Black Friday sales to secure a lower price point during cost-of-living pressures. However, sustainability then takes the hit.
She urged shoppers to "be prepared" and still enjoy Black Friday sales by tackling it with a plan.
"It's about being prepared and doing your research. I really encourage people to 'spring clean' before all these big end of year sales so you know what you need, and don't need and you can make a conscious decision," she said.
NSW and Victoria have been called out as the two states who are the worst for this behaviour, with CEO of Snap Send Solve Danny Gorog telling Yahoo News recently that they have received over 1,300 reports of illegal dumping of clothing and household items this year so far.
"Dumping rubbish next to a charity bin strains charity resources — diverting time and funds from their mission — and also harms the environment as damaged goods often end up in landfills," Gorog said.
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