For subscribers
What if the real recycling problem is in our heads?
We can do more with carrots and sticks to modify our behaviour and make sustainable choices easier and more appealing.
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
The domestic recycling rate hit a record low of 11 per cent in 2024.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Carolin Barr
Follow topic:
How many items in your wardrobe are second-hand? Chances are, not many. Despite the growing popularity of pre-loved fashion, and the environmental benefits of reusing clothes rather than sending them to a landfill, many still hesitate to wear clothes previously owned by someone else.
One of the main concerns is hygiene. In a 2020 survey by the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, 58 per cent of respondents cited hygiene concerns as a barrier to buying second-hand clothing. Locally, while studies show that cultural stigma associated with wearing second-hand clothing are fading, especially among the younger generation of Asian consumers, concerns around product quality and hygiene are still the main deterrents.
