Green is in, according to a new report that shows a growing fashion in the UK for the purchase of ethically-produced and recycled clothing amongst consumers.

Sales in ethical clothing, such as fair-trade garments and items made of recycled materials, rocketed from £33 million in 2003 to £43 million last year. Second-hand clothes from ethically-motivated sources such as charity shops topped £340 million.

Melanie Howard, Director at consumer monitor 'The Future Foundation', argued that these results should be a wake-up call for business "to take this upward trend in ethical consumerism very seriously when planning for the future".

The figures form part of a report by the Co-operative Bank, who also found that spending on fair-trade goods and free-range eggs increased significantly, as did spending on green transport, housing appliances, and humane cosmetics.

Simon Williams, a Director at Co-operative Bank, noted that "What were previously thought by some as somewhat curious or niche marketing exercises, are now becoming mainstream."

Moreover, monies in ethical banking and investment also increased from £9 billion last year to stand at £10.6 billion.

The research found that 66% of people now claim to consider the environment when shopping.

While the situation appears to be on the whole improving, Williams argued, saying that in areas where it was cheaper to deal in unethical products, for instance in the timber industry, it was necessary for some government intervention.

Theepochtimes.com