HR and recruitment advice

How the Working Wardrobe is Transforming Lives in Wales

At Moxie, we believe that employment should be accessible to all. That’s why we created the Working Wardrobe.

Working Wardrobe is a community initiative under our registered charity Moxie Foundation, designed to remove one of the often-overlooked barriers to employment: access to good quality workwear.

For many, clothing poverty is a serious barrier to their employment, with a lack of suitable interview attire standing in the way of new opportunities and as 30% of discarded clothing ending up in UK landfills each year, we believe that there's a real opportunity for change.

What is the Working Wardrobe?

The Working Wardrobe, is a community-driven initiative, operating in hubs across Wales, that provides free, high-quality interview and work attire.

Designed to support individuals from all backgrounds who have a confirmed interview, training placement, secured employment, or volunteering opportunity, ensuring that access to professional clothing is never a barrier to their success.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to present their best self, and so by collaborating with purpose-driven and sustainable companies and retailers, we’re able to offer a curated selection of new and almost new workwear in our hubs across Wales. But it’s more than just clothes - it’s about building confidence and paving the way for meaningful employment.

The cherry on top?

The Working Wardrobe is fully committed to sustainability. Nothing we receive ends up in a landfill, and any unsuitable clothing gets distributed to charity shops to sell, or to schools and universities for their textile departments.

The Working Wardrobe Warehouse

Our Impact

  • Hundreds Helped: Between January to November 2024, we’ve empowered 327 individuals.
  • Volunteering Opportunities: From April – November 2024, 213.5 hours of corporate volunteering has been carried out by 58 individuals.
  • 30% of Unwanted Clothes End in Landfills: Our commitment to sustainability redirects these resources to those who need them most.

The Working Wardrobe ensures unsuitable donations are recycled through our valued partners. This includes:

  • Providing materials to the Cardiff and Vale Mastectomy Pillow Project, which makes comfort pillows for breast cancer patients.
  • Supplying fabrics to Cardiff Community High School for their Fashion and Textiles course.
  • Supporting Monmouthshire Housing Association's ‘Make Do and Mend’ project.

Empowering Communities

The Working Wardrobe proudly supports the Future Generations Act by tackling clothing poverty, helping people find jobs, and giving the local economy a boost. We care about promoting mental health and equality by helping disadvantaged individuals build confidence and develop the skills they need to succeed at work.

Through volunteering, donations, and partnerships with groups like Cardiff and Vale College, the University of South Wales, Bridgend College and the Kings Trust, we’re bringing communities together and celebrating Welsh culture.

Plus, by cutting down on waste and challenging fast fashion, we’re doing our part to protect the planet for future generations.

Our Alignment to Human Resources

At Working Wardrobe, we transform lives by removing the practical barriers that can hold people back from employment. We empower individuals to step into interviews with confidence, dignity, and a sense of purpose. By ensuring that no one is disadvantaged by their circumstances, we partner with HR professionals to build stronger, more inclusive, and diverse workplaces.

Together, we create opportunities for untapped talent to thrive, ensuring everyone can contribute their best selves to the workplace. This partnership shapes a fairer, more equitable future for all.

Our work closely aligns with the core values of inclusion, diversity, and engagement, which are central to any HR department. Here's why:

  • Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): By removing socioeconomic barriers that could limit a candidate’s success, Working Wardrobe enables fairer, more inclusive recruitment processes. It allows HR teams to focus on potential and skills, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
  • Boosting Your Employer Brand: Supporting a project like Working Wardrobe showcases your team and company’s commitment to sustainability, equal opportunities and social responsibility, attracting talent that values purpose-driven work environments.
  • Community Engagement: Engagement with community projects position your organisations HR department as champions of meaningful change.
  • Boosting Organisational Impact: Working Wardrobe complements HR initiatives by helping individuals overcome obstacles to enter or return to the workforce, ensuring no potential goes untapped.

Ready to get involved?

There are numerous ways your HR team can support the Working Wardrobe:

Clothing Drives: Organise clothing drive within your workplace. Encourage employees to be sustainable with pre-loved clothing, by donating high-quality, professional clothing that no longer serves them.

Volunteering: We’re always after help, so why not encourage a team volunteering morning and lend a hand at our warehouse!

Fundraising: By raising funds, or by making The Working Wardrobe your organisation’s Charity of the Year, you will be supporting us in improving employment rates, removing barriers to employment, and promoting sustainability.

Awareness: Share Working Wardrobe on your company’s platforms to inspire others to join our cause.

Join Moxie in making a difference!

By partnering with Moxie and the Working Wardrobe, you help pave the way for a more inclusive workforce. Together, we can ensure that everyone feels ready to step into their next opportunity, dressed for success and armed with confidence. Let’s make a difference. To get involved or learn more about us, email lucy@moxiepeople.com

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