Friday 7 October 2022 12:10 AM Do YOU have 31 items of clothes you never wear? Fast fashion fuels climate fears trends now

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Wasteful Britons have 1.6billion unworn pieces of clothing in their wardrobes – and use underwear for just two and a half years before throwing it away, a survey has found.

The Government recycling body Wrap found the average UK adult owns 118 garments – of which a quarter, 31 items, go unworn and unloved for at least a year.

Wrap said if Britons could cut down on the amount of clothes and 'fast fashion' they bought they could help cut greenhouse gas emissions involved in manufacturing and shipping clothes.

Overall, textiles and fashion are responsible for between 4 and 8 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

UK adults spend an estimated £4billion on clothes each month, but the study found that we are making progress – by not ditching our clothes quite as quickly as in the past. Between 2013 and 2021, the length of time people predicted they would keep a range of clothes increased.