Unworn clothing in British wardrobes represents a significant waste of water and natural resources, with social media and online shopping platforms driving impulse purchases and raising growing concerns about the fashion industry’s environmental impact, according to a new Oxfam report.
The charity’s inaugural State of Style 2026 report found that 32% of the average UK wardrobe had not been worn in the previous year, while four in 10 people had worn an item of clothing just once. The water used to produce these barely worn garments would be enough to fill about 88 billion single-use water bottles, highlighting the environmental costs of clothing that sees little use after purchase.
The findings come as fashion brands, retailers and policymakers face mounting pressure to reduce resource consumption, extend garment lifespans and address waste across the clothing supply chain. While much of the industry’s sustainability debate focuses on manufacturing emissions, fibre production and textile waste, Oxfam’s findings draw attention to the environmental consequences of consumer purchasing habits and underused clothing.
The report identified digital platforms as an important influence on shopping behaviour. Almost two-thirds, or 64%, of respondents said they had purchased clothes they were not actively looking for after seeing them on social media, apps or online shopping platforms.
Separately, 59% said they had bought something because it appeared in an app’s feed or recommendations. However, only 27% acknowledged that algorithms or online recommendations influenced what they bought or wore, suggesting a potential gap between consumers’ shopping behaviour and their perception of digital influence.
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The findings point to a cycle in which targeted advertising, influencer content, personalised recommendations and rapidly changing trends can encourage purchases beyond consumers’ immediate needs. For the fashion industry, this raises questions about the relationship between digital marketing, sales growth and the environmental burden associated with garments that are rarely worn.
Despite these pressures, consumers appear increasingly aware of the need to change their habits. More than half, or 57%, of respondents said they had tried to buy fewer clothes over the previous year.
However, the report also identified a persistent gap between purchasing intentions and disposal practices. One in five people said they still threw unwanted clothing away rather than donating, repairing or reselling it, limiting opportunities to extend garment lifespans and retain the value of materials already used in production.
Water consumption is a major environmental concern for the textile and apparel industry, particularly because its impacts extend across several stages of production.
Natural fibres such as cotton require water during cultivation, while textile processing can involve substantial water use in washing, dyeing, finishing and other manufacturing operations. The overall footprint varies according to fibre type, production location, agricultural practices, processing technology and water-management conditions.
According to Oxfam, the global fashion industry uses about 93 billion cubic metres of water annually, equivalent to approximately 37 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. The volume illustrates the scale of the industry’s dependence on freshwater resources.
The charity also estimated that clothing purchased in the UK each year carries a water footprint of around 8 billion cubic metres, enough to meet the country’s water needs for two years.
These figures reflect the broader resource demands associated with clothing consumption, rather than water used solely by consumers when washing garments. Much of a garment’s environmental footprint arises before it reaches a shop, including the cultivation or extraction of raw materials and the subsequent processing and manufacturing stages.
When clothing is purchased but rarely worn, the resources invested in its production deliver less practical value over the garment’s lifetime. Extending the period during which clothing remains in active use can help improve resource efficiency by reducing the need to replace garments as frequently.
The report also found that 51% of Britons regretted at least one clothing purchase made during the previous year. Oxfam estimated that the water associated with these regretted purchases could provide enough drinking water for the world’s population for 10 days.
The figures underline the connection between purchasing decisions and resource consumption, although the water footprint of individual garments can vary significantly depending on how and where they are produced.