4 Sustainability Challenges to Build Lasting Habits

As summer fades and routines shift, September offers a natural moment to refresh our habits.  Kids head back to school, schedules settle, and we're also switching out our clothing from summer to fall and winter. So during this transitional time,  Planet Aid is launching a September Sustainability Challenge: four easy actions to reduce clothing waste, extend the life of what you own, and help build more sustainable habits.

Did you know the average American now buys roughly 53–58 new clothing items per year? For context, that's more items than there are weeks in the year. Over the past 15 years, the number of times we wear a garment before discarding it has dropped by 36%, fueling a global textile waste problem.  Instead of feeding that cycle, let's make a concerted effort to change it

Here are four sustainability challenges to try this September.

🌱 The Four Sustainability Challenges

1. The Closet Audit

Sort everything into: wear it, mend it, or let it go.  Anything in the "let it go" pile that is still suitable for donation goes to a Planet Aid bin instead of the trash. This simple act keeps usable textiles out of landfills and channels them into a reuse system that creates jobs and value in communities around the world.

Start with one drawer, shelf, or section of your closet if tackling everything at once feels overwhelming. The goal is to identify what you actually use and give unwanted clothing another opportunity to be reused.

2. One In, One Out

For every new item that comes into your closet, one item goes out to a Planet Aid bin.  This habit prevents your closet—and your environmental footprint—from quietly growing. Reuse has a 70 times lower environmental impact than producing new clothing, saving roughly 3 kg of CO₂ per garment reused.

Before buying something new, you can also ask yourself whether it replaces something you already own or simply adds to it. That small pause can make more intentional clothing consumption easier to maintain.

3. Secondhand First

Before buying anything new this month, check secondhand first: a thrift store, a resale app, or a friend’s closet.
The global secondhand market for apparel is projected to reach $393 billion by 2030,  proving that pre-loved is both stylish and sustainable. Choosing secondhand extends the life of garments and reduces demand for new production.

You do not have to stop buying new clothing altogether. The challenge is simply to make secondhand your first stop and see whether what you need is already in circulation.

4. Repair Before You Replace

Before donating something with a small flaw, ask if it can be fixed. A quick stitch or button often beats starting over.  Extending the life of clothing through repair lowers emissions and waste, supporting a circular fashion system where garments stay in use longer.

How Do Sustainability Challenges Make a Difference?

These are small habits that support a circular and sustainable lifestyle. They keep your closet from quietly growing past what you actually wear—and divert a steady stream of reusable goods from going to landfills. When you donate clothing to Planet Aid, you’re helping connect usable textiles to a reuse system that creates value far beyond the point of donation.

Most Planet Aid clothes are resold in Central American markets, creating jobs at clothing sorting centers and thrift stores within these countries. Your donation doesn’t just clear space in your closet—it helps fund community development programs in the U.S. and abroad.

The benefit of these challenges comes from repetition. Auditing what you own, reusing more, shopping secondhand, and repairing clothing can become habits that continue well beyond Sustainable September.

Sustainability September FAQ

What are some easy sustainability challenges to try? - h3

Start with a closet audit, use a one-in-one-out rule, shop secondhand before buying new, or repair clothing before replacing it.

How can I make my closet more sustainable?

Focus on wearing what you already own, repairing items when possible, choosing secondhand, and donating usable clothing you no longer need.

What should I do with clothes I no longer want?

If the clothing is still usable, donate it to a Planet Aid bin or center so it can stay in circulation instead of going to waste.

Can I continue these sustainability challenges after September?

Absolutely. Sustainable September is a starting point for building habits around reuse, repair, secondhand shopping, and more intentional consumption.

Join the Challenge

This September, take the Sustainable September Challenge with Planet Aid. Share your progress on social media using #SustainableSeptember and tag @PlanetAid to inspire others to join the movement. Together, we can turn small steps into big impact.

Ready to build sustainable habits? Find your nearest Planet Aid donation bin or center and start today.