In the 2025–2026 period, Glasgow, UK, distributed more than 3 tonnes of secondhand clothing and footwear—over 10,000 items in total—to local families in need through the charity ApparelXchange, the municipal support service Glasgow Helps, and other partners. A poverty report received at the city council's latest meeting of the City Policy Committee for Wellbeing, Equality, Communities, Culture and Engagement estimated that the reuse of these garments was equivalent to a reduction of 68.3 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions.

Key points

  • Over 10,000 secondhand clothing items and shoes, totaling more than 3 tonnes, were distributed within a year to support Glasgow families in poverty.
  • The poverty report estimates that the clothing reuse delivered about 68.3 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in carbon reductions.
  • The report states the city's child poverty rate is 25.3%, notably higher than the Scottish average of 16.7%.

According to the city's draft 2025–2026 local child poverty action report, these garments saved families considerable costs they might otherwise have struggled to afford for replacing essential clothing and footwear. One parent receiving support said she was very happy about it, that the clothes fit her children well, and that she was grateful for the support.

A council official told councillors at the meeting that the local child poverty rate remains high at 25.3%, compared with 16.7% across Scotland, clearly above the Scottish average. She said local data show that single-parent families, people with disabilities, and ethnic minority households are hit hardest by poverty.

The city's measures targeting children also include providing food during school holidays, placing financial inclusion officers in schools, and stationing family wellbeing workers in GP practices. The council is also running "change demonstration" projects in Calton, Southside Central and Govan to test new ways of reducing poverty and improve families' prospects.

From an industry perspective, this case illustrates the role of secondhand clothing in local social assistance: old clothes not only extend the lifespan of textiles and deliver quantifiable carbon reductions, but also directly ease the spending pressure on low-income families for basic clothing, offering a reference sample for linking secondhand circulation systems with local anti-poverty policies.

Source: More than 10,000 secondhand clothes given to struggling Glasgow families · Originally published 2026-09-29