Circular Student Living: Tips to Save Money with Second-Hand Fashion

Student life comes with plenty of changes: a new city, new friends, a new routine, and a new home. But none of that means you have to buying everything new. Circular living is about keeping products and materials in use for longer; by borrowing, sharing, repairing, reusing, reselling and recycling, rather than following a “take, make, use, throw away” pattern. 

It can save you money; help you find more unique pieces and make moving in or out much easier. Start with what you already own, then check whether you can borrow or buy pre-loved before purchasing new. 

At a glance 

• Use Unite Students Pre-Loved shops and lending libraries to donate, swap or pick up useful items. Haven’t seen one in your accommodation? Speak to your Property Team! 

• Borrow occasional-use items from flatmates and friends instead of buying duplicates. 

• Choose charity shops, vintage stores and resale platforms for lower-cost, more individual finds. 

• Repair, alter and care for belongings so they stay useful for longer. 

• Save money by purchasing refurbished or leased tech. 

The simplest circular habit is: use what you have, share what you can and pass it on when you are finished. 

Why keeping things in use matters

The circular economy designs out waste and keeps products and materials circulating at their highest value. In fashion, that means clothes are worn more, designed to last, repaired, resold, rented or remade. The same principle applies to phones, laptops, furniture, kitchen equipment and room accessories. 

• The world uses an estimated 80 billion pieces of clothing each year (that’s around 400% more than two decades ago! (The True Cost) 

• The fashion industry is responsible for around 10% of annual global carbon emissions. (Morgan McFall-Johnsen, 2020) 

• Textile production contributes more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined. (House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, 2019) 

• Buying one white cotton shirt can produce emissions comparable with driving 35 miles in a car. (WRAP) 

• Around 300,000 tonnes of textiles go into UK household black bins each year, while less than 1% of material used for clothing is recycled into new clothing. (House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, 2019) 

• Clothing companies create more than one million garments every day. (Greenpeace) 

• Around half a million tonnes of plastic microfibres from clothes enter the ocean each year, equivalent to 50 billion plastic bottles. (World Economic Forum) 

• Fast-fashion emissions could grow by 50% by 2030 if current growth continues. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation) 

• Extending the active life of clothes by nine months could reduce their carbon, water and waste footprints by 20–30% each. (WRAP) 

(These figures come from different studies, years and methodologies, so they should be read as indicators of scale rather than added together.) The practical message is consistent: the longer useful products stay in circulation, the more value we get from the resources already used to make them. 

Build a wardrobe fit for your personality!

Second-hand does not mean second-best. Vintage stores, charity shops and resale apps can help you find pieces that are less likely to look like everyone else’s, often for much less than buying new. Why not have a scroll through Vinted, Depop, eBay and Facebook Marketplace – or make an activity of it and go explore your local charity shops!  

Rent the outfit, not the commitment. University calendars often include Summer Balls, Winter Formals, Sports Awards, society dinners and graduation celebrations, events where you may want a standout look but are unlikely to wear it regularly. Platforms such as Hirestreet, HURR and By Rotation let you hire occasion wear and accessories for a set period, often for a fraction of the retail price. Rental can give you access to a more distinctive or premium piece without paying to own something that may sit unworn afterwards. Book early for popular dates, check measurements and reviews, allow time to try the item on, and read the delivery, cleaning, damage, cancellation and late-return terms before paying. 

• Shop your own wardrobe first. Try a new combination, layer differently or set aside items for a simple alteration. 

• Use the cost-per-wear check. Ask yourself how often you will realistically wear an item. Torrens University’s Wardrobe Maths calculator turns this into a simple estimate. 

• Borrow or rent for one-off moments. Share occasion wear, accessories or fancy-dress items with friends, or hire a look for a Summer Ball, Winter Formal, Sports Awards or another special event instead of buying something for a single night. 

• Check quality. Look at seams, zips, fabric condition and care labels. A well-made item you love is more useful than several cheap replacements. 

• Care and repair. Wash only when needed, follow care labels, air-dry where practical, learn a basic stitch and use a local tailor or repair service for jobs you cannot do yourself. 

When an item no longer works for you, sell it, swap it or donate it while it is still in good condition. Oxfam’s sustainable shopping guide recommends choosing long-lasting items, buying second-hand and fixing belongings before replacing them. 

Repair, refresh and keep your favourites going

A loose hem, broken zip, stubborn stain or worn sole does not have to be the end of an item. Many dry cleaners also offer alterations, stain removal and clothing repairs; a small adjustment can improve the fit and make something feel new again. Cobblers and shoe-repair businesses can replace soles and heels, repair stitching and refresh footwear. 

• Try a simple fix. A button, patch or basic stitch can be cheaper and quicker than replacing an item. Oxfam’s visible-mending guide and the Natural History Museum’s beginner repair advice are useful places to start. 

• Use a specialist. For alterations or harder repairs, ask a local tailor or dry-cleaner, or explore services such as SOJO. 

• Repair together. Repair Café volunteers work on items including clothing, furniture and electricals, while the Community Repair Network map helps you find a UK group nearby. Check what a session accepts before travelling! 

• Repair tech safely. Start with the warranty, manufacturer or a reputable repairer. Stop using devices or batteries that are swollen, overheating, leaking or physically damaged, and do not attempt a repair beyond your skills. 

Cleaning, maintenance and repair protect the money you have already spent and can turn an imperfection into something personal rather than something disposable. 

Furnish your room without buying everything new

Before buying furniture or room accessories, check what is already provided at your property and what you are allowed to bring. For anything else, start with Unite Students Pre-Loved shops and lending libraries. The size of these might vary by property, but we’re working on scaling these across all Unite buildings to help our residents make more considered and circular choices.  

For items you only need for a day or a weekend, such as a projector, sewing machine or camping kit, check whether your university, local library or a sharing service lends them. Staying in one of our London properties? Library of Things offers short-term rental of useful household and project equipment at locations across London, helping you avoid the cost and cupboard space of a one-use purchase. For other cities, you can petition here for a Library of Things near you! 

Try this order: 

• Use what is already in your room or kitchen. 

• Ask flatmates or friends if you can borrow or share the item. 

• Check your property’s Pre-Loved offer, local charity shops and reuse organisations. 

• Look on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree or even IKEA for nearby collection, taking normal marketplace safety precautions. 

• Buy new only when it is the safest, most durable or most practical choice. 

For finishings, think removable and reusable: second-hand cushions, throws, frames, mirrors, storage boxes, lamps or plant pots can make a room feel individual without creating a pile of end-of-year waste. Do not paint walls, drill holes, use candles, bring prohibited electrical items or make changes that conflict with your tenancy terms or fire-safety guidance. If you are unsure, ask your property team before buying or installing anything. 

Pre-loved pieces often bring more character than a matching set, and leave more of your budget for the things that matter to you.

Make tech last longer

Phones, laptops, tablets and games consoles use valuable materials and energy before they even reach you. The most circular option is usually to keep a working device for longer. Use a protective case (a common find in charity shops!), install updates, manage storage, replace a battery or screen where economical, and check the warranty before arranging a repair. 

If you do need a device, professionally refurbished tech can offer substantial savings. Back Market sells refurbished electronics and provides product-condition information, a warranty and returns terms. Raylo offers tech subscriptions designed around return, upgrade and refurbishment. A subscription is not automatically the cheapest option, so compare the total payments, ownership position, damage charges, insurance, return requirements and early-exit terms with buying refurbished outright. 

The same repair-first approach applies to tech: diagnose the fault, check the warranty and ask whether a battery, screen, cable or component can be replaced before upgrading. If the device still works, sell or trade it in rather than leaving it in a drawer. Options include Back Market Trade-in, Apple Trade In and retailer schemes. If it has genuinely reached the end of its useful life, Currys’ unwanted-tech guidance explains repair, trade-in and recycling routes. Always back up and securely erase personal data first, remove SIM and memory cards, and follow the receiving organisation’s instructions. 

• Check whether your university, course or library already lends the equipment you need. 

• Buy from a reputable seller and check warranty, battery health, condition grading and returns. 

• Back up your files and remove personal data before selling, trading in or returning a device. 

• Never put batteries or electrical items in general waste; take these to reception where your Property Team will manage with our recognised recycling partner. 

Create a culture of borrowing and passing on

Circular living works best when it is social. A flat doesn’t need six air-fryers, four blenders or a different outfit for every event. Agree what you are comfortable sharing, label communal items and return borrowed things clean and on time. A simple group-chat message: “Does anyone have one I can borrow?” saving you money and space. 

You could organise a clothes swap, a shared kitchen shelf or an end-of-term pass-it-on session. Keep exchanges voluntary, describe the condition honestly and do not leave unwanted belongings in corridors, bin stores or communal areas. Ask your property team about the approved collection point and the timing of any Pre-Loved events. 

Food, opened cosmetics, medicines, damaged electricals, bedding and safety equipment may have restrictions, so follow local instructions. When donating, give items as you would hope to receive them: clean, complete, safe and genuinely reusable. 

When you are finished with it: follow the waste hierarchy

Do not put clothing, textiles, linens, electrical items, batteries, beauty packaging or medicine blister packs into your standard waste or mixed recycling. Use a suitable reuse, take-back or specialist recycling route. 

Donation is not the first step. Buying something, wearing it once and then donating it does not make that purchase circular. Before buying, work through the earlier options: avoid an unnecessary purchase, use what you have, borrow or rent, wear it more, repair or alter it, swap it, pass it to a friend or resell it. Donation is valuable when a good-quality item genuinely has more useful life, but it should not be used to justify overbuying. 

• Prevent and keep using. Do you still need to get rid of it? Could it be cleaned, repaired, altered, repurposed or stored for next term? 

• Reuse or resell. List a usable item on Vinted, Depop, eBay or a local marketplace, pass it to a friend, or use Unite Students Pre-Loved. Resale can recover some of what you paid.  

• Donate thoughtfully through our British Heart Foundation partnership. Unite Students has worked with the British Heart Foundation since 2017. You will find clearly marked, distinct BHF collection drums or boxes in Unite Students buildings for suitable pre-loved items; ask your property team if you are unsure where yours is. The BHF sells donated clothes and other accepted goods through its charity shops to help fund research into heart and circulatory diseases. Unite Students residents and colleagues have donated more than £2 million worth of items through the partnership. Check the current accepted-item guidance before donating, and use the charity-shop test: would I reasonably buy this in its current condition? Items should be clean, complete, safe and wearable; not badly stained, broken or unwearable. Read more about Unite Students’ charity partnerships. 

• Use a take-back scheme. Some fashion and homeware retailers collect used products and may offer vouchers or credit. Examples include H&M garment collecting, Dunelm’s textile take-back activity, New Look’s recycling information and Reskinned’s take-back programme. Schemes and rewards change, so check accepted items, condition rules and current terms before travelling or posting anything. 

• Recycle through the right specialist route. If clothing or linens cannot be reused, place them in a dedicated textile bank or another approved textile collection, not the standard waste or mixed recycling. Ask your property team where the nearest accepted route is. 

Why quality matters when you donate. Charity shops cannot sell every item they receive. Clothes may be unsuitable because they are damaged, stained, poor quality, out of season or simply exceed local demand. Surplus second-hand and unsold clothing can enter international resale and waste chains that overwhelm communities and local infrastructure. Reporting on the clothing piles in Chile’s Atacama Desert shows the far-reaching consequences when enormous volumes of fashion have no viable next user. The answer is not to stop donating good items; it is to buy less, use items for longer, donate only genuinely reusable pieces and use textile-recycling routes for the rest. Learn more about fashion pollution in Chile’s Atacama Desert. 

Why is clothing recycling difficult? Garments can combine cotton, polyester, elastane, coatings, dyes, zips, buttons and trims. These blends are hard to identify and separate, and fibre quality can fall during some recycling processes. That is why repair, resale and reuse usually sit above recycling in the hierarchy. To explore the bigger system challenge, visit Textile Exchange and The Fashion Pact’s circular-economy work. 

Other tricky waste streams need specialist routes too. Boots and Superdrug also have in-store schemes for selected beauty empties and other items like empty blister packs. Electrical goods and batteries require electrical or battery collections, retailer take-back or trade-in, not your regular bins. Check the latest acceptance rules before visiting and return medicines to a pharmacy rather than putting them into recycling. 

Best next life: keep it in use. If that is no longer possible, use the most suitable verified take-back or specialist recycling route. 

A five-minute check before you buy 

• Need: Do I need it, or can I use, adapt or borrow something? 

• Use: How often will I use it, and will it still suit me next term? 

• Cost: What is the total cost, including delivery, repairs, accessories or subscription charges? 

• Quality: Is it durable, repairable and in safe condition? 

• Next life: Can I resell, donate, return or recycle it when I am finished? 

Ask your property team about Unite Students Pre-Loved and local donation or swap opportunities.

FAQs 

What is circular living? 

It means keeping products and materials useful for as long as possible through sharing, reuse, repair, resale, refurbishment and recycling, while avoiding unnecessary purchases and waste. 

Where should I look before buying something new? 

Check what you already have, ask friends or flatmates, look for Unite Students Pre-Loved activity, then try charity shops, vintage stores and reputable resale or refurbished-tech platforms. 

Is second-hand always the most sustainable option? 

Often it is a good way to extend an item’s life, but condition, safety, delivery distance and how long you will use it still matter. For electricals, buy from a reputable seller and check testing, warranty and returns information. 

Can I decorate my room with second-hand items? 

Of course! Provided items are safe and permitted. Choose removable accessories and check your tenancy guidance before attaching, painting or installing anything. Never bring in prohibited items or block doors, vents, heaters, detectors or escape routes. 

What should I do with unwanted belongings when I move out? 

Plan early and follow the hierarchy. First try to keep using, repair, alter, sell, swap or pass useful items to friends. If a clean, safe and genuinely reusable item still needs a new home, place it in the clearly marked British Heart Foundation collection drum or box in your Unite Students building, or use another approved charity collection point. Ask your property team if you cannot find the BHF collection point or need to check what is accepted. Take worn-out textiles, electricals, batteries and other difficult items to the correct specialist collection or retailer take-back route, never put them in standard waste or mixed recycling, and do not abandon them in your room or communal spaces. 

Where can I learn more? 

Explore the University of Leeds’ introduction to the circular economy, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s circular fashion overview, the Royal College of Art’s work on circular clothing systems, the Fashion Retail Academy’s guide to sustainable fashion, Oxfam’s sustainable shopping guide and Torrens University’s Wardrobe Maths calculator.