An ambitious new businesswoman has opened an eco-friendly clothing shop in Derry.
Preloved Threads, in Waterloo Street, is a new clothing boutique that allows customers to give in their unwanted items in return for cash.
Owner Anne McGowan, who first opened the shop on December 13, said renewable and sustainable fashion had always been a passion of hers.
The former charity shop worker told MyDerry that she decided to open the new city centre shop after she noticed a lot of clothing rags would ultimately end up in landfills.
She said: "A lot of clothing donations received by charities are stained, need freshened up or need a small repair. However, the majority of charity shops in Derry do not have washing or drying facilities.
"As a result of this, a good percentage of donations need to be ragged. They are then sold on as rags of which a fair majority of these rags end up in landfills.
"I was horrified, as I am very much into doing my bit for climate change. Fast fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world today.
"Renewable sustainable fashion has always been a passion of mine. Coming from a working-class background where spending money was limited, I loved shopping in charity shops which were like mini Aladdin's caves to me.
"Over the years I have had some amazing quirky finds for very little cost."
Anne said the time was "now or never" when she eventually decided to go out on her own and she said the response from the public was "second to none".
"I opened Preloved Threads the week before Christmas, for me it was a case of now or never," she added.
"Thankfully my family were 100% supportive. I'm currently working with a mentor on the go for it programme who is helping me with the legal side of things and doing up a business plan with me.
"We sell good quality second-hand ladies, men and children's clothing and accessories, as well as some vintage. We aim to provide clean affordable clothing and to stop textiles from ending up in landfills.
"This has been a dream of mine for some time. It felt amazing to open. It has been hard work but I firmly believe it will be worth it.
"So far the response has been excellent. Local people seem genuinely interested and already we have our regulars.
"I do believe that now is the right time to open with much of the world focus being on climate change.
"Added to this, the current covid crisis has forced the economy to its knee's, with job losses, the ending of furlough, the abolishment of extra allowance which had been added to universal credit and the rise in electric and gas prices.
"This has left large numbers of people with very little money."
Meanwhile, the Derry woman also said "everybody can do their bit" when it comes to recycling old clothes they no longer need.
"Buying pre-loved second-hand clothes is a great way to help the environment as it saves the resources needed to produce an entirely new item and saves these items from landfill.
"It is easy on the pocket and is a guilt-free way of treating yourself with the possibility of finding a unique piece."
Anne added: "Buying pre-loved second-hand items helps us as consumers to use our collective power to help reduce global warming; this can only be a good thing.
"We can all do our bit to combat this waste by reusing, repairing and recycling."
