It’s estimated that 15% of dry cleaning is never claimed — meaning huge amounts of perfectly good clothing goes to waste, much of it high quality formal wear.

So we launched ‘The dry/clean Initiative’ with Action on Addiction to rescue unclaimed clothing from dry cleaners’ back rooms before it reached landfill. The initiative repurposed formal wear from across the UK to help people recovering from addiction rebuild their lives.

Addiction can often lead to the loss of jobs and homes, making it difficult to break the cycle. Sometimes, something as simple as a well-fitting suit and the confidence it brings to a job interview can make all the difference.

Working with dry cleaners across London, we collected donated clothing and delivered it to Action on Addiction. We also raised awareness through an online film featuring a real service user, Debbie, alongside photography and noticeboard posters displayed in charity spaces.

Copywriter: Elliott Starr

Creative Directors: Phillip Meyler and Darren Keff

Photography: David Lidbetter