New research from Epson has revealed that the UK throws 216 million pieces of children’s clothing into landfill each year – 244 times the height of Mount Everest if stacked in one giant clothes pile.
While two thirds of parents (66%) actively consider more sustainable clothes for themselves, nearly half (48%) admit to getting rid of their children’s clothes in the quickest and easiest way possible.
The study found that Brits throw away 17 items of children’s clothing every year. By comparison the French throw away less than half (nine items a year).
To showcase how innovation can help tackle this growing waste problem, Epson has collaborated with fashion designer and sustainability trailblazer Priya Ahluwalia to create Fashion Play – a doll sized fashion collection printed using Epson’s Monna Lisa digital textile printing technology and made from textile waste using Epson’s pioneering Dry Fibre Technology, which transforms old textiles into new fibres without water or harsh chemicals.
According to the research findings, children in the UK are bought 90 items of clothing every year – totalling 1.1 billion nationwide. Nearly six in ten parents (59%) say their kids have unworn items with tags still attached sitting in their wardrobes, while 57% have thrown away or re-purposed clothes that have NEVER been worn.
Maria Eagling, Chief Marketing Officer at Epson, commented: “Fashion offers every age a creative avenue for self expression, but we all have a part to play in making better choices when it comes to what we buy and how we get rid of it when we’re done. While there are simple actions consumers can take – from reducing the amount they buy and prioritising pre-loved – we wanted to show how innovation like Dry Fibre Technology can also help cut down the amount of clothes that go into landfill.
“The Fashion Play collection is a playful nod to our love of dressing up – which starts when we are children – but using methods and materials such as these could make a seismic change to the fashion industry and planet. We’re really excited to be working with Priya Ahluwalia, a designer who we hugely admire for her upcycling endeavours and commitment to creating beautiful pieces that don’t cost the earth.”
Fashion Play takes inspiration from the Ahluwalia AW25 collection. In addition to Dry Fibre Technology, other production methods used to create the outfits include Epson’s next generation digital textile printer, the Monna Lisa, which can reduce water consumption in the colour printing stage of clothing production by up to 97%.
Commenting on the collection Priya Ahluwalia said: “Travelling to India and Nigeria, I witnessed the true scale of textile waste as a result of the Western secondhand clothing industry. That experience has stayed with me, and I have since endeavoured to work in a way that is better for people and the planet, especially in the global south.
“This collaboration with Epson goes beyond fashion. It’s about starting conversations on sustainability at multiple levels, from how we dress ourselves to what we choose for those we love. Through this miniature collection made with Dry Fibre Technology, we hope to show that innovation and imagination can reshape the future of fashion.”
Further UK statistics:In the past year, the average UK family has binned, sold or sent to charity the following number of items per child:
4 t-shirts
3 jumpers
3 pairs of trousers or jeans
4 fancy dress, themed or special occasion outfits
2 party outfits
3 pairs of shoes
3 school uniform items
3 pants / knickers
4 pairs of socks
On average, UK parents spend £794.60 a year on each child’s wardrobe.
12% of parents buy new clothes for their child every week.
The average item of kids’ clothing is worn 20 times.
35% of parents admit to throwing kids’ clothing in the bin because of a lack of time.
61% of parents aren’t aware that most children’s clothing contain synthetic fibres that can take up to 450 years to decompose.
Children are bought around nine items of clothing by friends and family during the Christmas period – three (33%) of which won’t ever be worn.
About the research The research was conducted by 3GEM, among a sample of 1,000 parents aged 18+ who have children aged 1-16 years olds. The data was collected between 16th – 22nd October 2025.
About Epson / Monna Lisa printer For over 80 years, Epson has been at the forefront of printing innovation. Best known for home and office printing solutions, Epson has pioneered a water free paper and textile re-fibration process known as Dry Fibre Technology (DFT). Initially used for recycling office paper, DFT has now been adapted to produce rolls of printable non-woven fabric from used garments without the need for water.
Dry Fibre Technology is a significant innovation and opportunity for the fashion industry because it offers a water free defibration process that makes fashion circularity a reality.
Epson’s solution to digital textile printing technology, the Monna Lisa, can reduce water consumption significantly (by up to 97%). It also reduces dye contamination and minimises textile waste.
www.epson.co.uk