ReRun is a grass roots environmental Community Interest Company centred around reducing running gear from landfill. Founded by Ultra Runner Dan Lawson and his family in 2018, ReRun started as a simple idea. Second hand clothes would be collected and then sold on a simple website. All profits would go back into the running community.
Immediately, running gear came in, along with an unsuspected item that has become their most donated unit….
Finishers T-shirts. 1000's of them. To date they have had over 10,000 through their doors. So much so that they had to move ReRun out of their home and into a warehouse in West Sussex.
ReRun changed at that point, they began researching textile waste and then campaigning and raising awareness around it.
300,000 tonnes of clothes end up in landfill each year in the UK (Wrap Report - Love your clothes) and less than 1% of clothes end up being recycled. Fast fashion has hit the running world with brands pumping out new trends and events thrusting you a goodie bag and t shirt before you've even finished your marathon. Many of the clothes received at ReRun HQ still have tags and with regards to event t shirts many arrive still in their (plastic) packaging.
Why does this matter...?
Sports clothing is made from synthetic petroleum based fibres and these garments take tens to hundreds of years to decompose. They breakdown releasing toxins into the environment in the form of dyes and microfibres. Getting dye to fix to polyester is water intensive and heavy chemicals are used in the process. This waste water is released into the ecosystem affecting plant, animal and human life in a devastating way.
Microfibres are tiny (up to 60x thinner than a single strand of hair) fibres that shed from synthetic clothing. In a single wash 700,000 fibres can be released into our waterways.They are swallowed by fish and other creatures. As well as harming the fish themselves they travel up the food chain onto our plates.
ReRun want to change attitudes around consumption and educate people in ways that they can minimise their impact.
- Refuse
- Reduce
- Repair
- Reuse
- Recycle
and then
- Rethink
They want to do this with the help of the running community, big and small brands and event organisers. At the rate and speed garments are being produced (Around 150 Billion units globally per year) the mountain of apparel is quickly becoming a mountain range. Change starts with the individual and we must not go on acquiring new 'stuff' anymore. Our beautiful playground simply cannot withstand it.
Lots of people doing a little can make a big difference, especially if you inspire others to do the same. Get a few more months more out of your trainers, be happy to still wear a bit of kit that is a few years old, rather than buy new. And run with joy and a big smile as you wonder at this beautiful world we live in.
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We are proud to partner with ReRun and want to encourage everyone to do their bit in helping protect the fragile environment that we live in.
If you want to donate your old running gear to Dan and the team at ReRun, you can send it to the address below where they will lovingly recycle it and find it a new home
ReRun
18 New Road
Shoreham by Sea
BN43 6RA
You can find out more about ReRun on any of the links below:
Website: rerunclothing.org
Twitter: @ReRunClothing
Instagram: @ReRun
Facebook: ReRun Clothing
