Sutton Recycling Centre trials pre-loved Clothing Boutique

Sutton Council, Veolia and Community Reuse are working together to give pre-loved
clothing a new lease of life. A new trial will allow residents to donate and purchase second-hand clothing on site, saving textiles from going to waste.

Sutton residents visiting the Kimpton Park Way Household Reuse and Recycling Centre (HRRC) can already recycle a wide range of materials or donate items in good condition to the on-site Community Reuse shop. This spring, a new trial will support residents to donate pre-loved clothing directly to Community Reuse in dedicated containers placed outside the shop. The clothing will then be sorted and put up for sale for both residents and visitors to purchase at low prices. 

The clothing boutique is open daily from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday and between 9am and 1pm on Sunday. 

Reusing clothing reduces the demand for new items, which means less energy and fewer raw materials are needed to produce them. By buying clothing second-hand, residents can help preserve natural resources and reduce carbon emissions at the same time as saving money. This builds on the Community Reuse shop’s existing ethos of selling donated items with a discount scheme available for residents on low incomes or experiencing financial hardship.

Jennifer Sibley, Sutton Council's Assistant Director for Environment & Planning, said:
"It's great to see this new clothing boutique opening for Sutton residents. Now people can both donate and buy second-hand clothing while they are dropping their recycling off!

"We want to help our residents during the cost of living crisis, as well as take action on climate change. Reusing is a great way to help reduce the impact on our environment and give unwanted clothes a new home."