If you buy clothing online, you’ve probably, at least once, picked up multiple sizes in one item to check the fit and sent the ones that didn’t work out back to the store. That’s fine right? Well, turns out when you do that chances are those items go right into the dumpster rather than back into circulation.

Fashion already causes a huge amount of waste, fast fashion in particular. Most people return things with the assumption that the retailer will put it back up for sale, like they do in brick and mortar stores. This isn’t always the case however. Since they have to inspect and re-press it to make it fit for shipping, some retailers just chuck it instead.

Obviously, this isn’t what people believe will happen so what can you do? Limit your online clothes shopping and if you’re not sure of the size you will need, stick to physical stores. Another option is just to buy second hand.