University of Glasgow

Green Gowns & Second-Hand Suits

Green Gowns & Second Hand Suits came from a personal desire from students at GUEST & GUFR to have a hub for borrowing our peers’ dresses, heels, or ties for one night and avoid the last-minute panic buy or long Vinted searches. If you feel that a tradition at your university, such as black-tie events, can be made more sustainable while also helping to alleviate financial hardship, we strongly recommend reaching out to and engaging your student community.

If you wish to build a platform like ours, our top tips are:

• Know who your audience is.
• Cater to what your students and staff long for (and may not know yet).
• Share it with the entire campus (overpromoting does not exist).

Lastly, sharing is caring; and both our wallets and our planet agree!

Annual carbon savings achieved with the initiative:

• CO2t savings 2022/2023: 0.245KG (Estimated)
• CO2t savings 2023/2024: 1kg (Estimated).   
• CO2t savings over the life cycle of the project: Unlimited time, unlimited savings. Estimated 1kg savings per year.
   

Top 3 Learnings

1. We recommend tailoring projects that answer to your environment and community’s current challenges and interests.
2. You can never over-promote!
3. We learned to make sustainable options accessible but also inclusive of all circumstances.