Most thrift shops also support local charities, which some could be for environmental causes. All Rights Reserved. In the past, thrifting garnered a negative reputation among members of older generations for being an alternative for people who cant afford brand names. The catch is, that piece of clothing isnt a quality piece of clothing.The low quality of fast fashion pieces is what makes fast fashion so unsustainable. If youd like to see what that wastefulness looks like, check out this Insider article. Aside from being cheaper, thrift stores also make sure they are selling quality goods that are usable for a longer time, which can be a win-win for you. In elementary school, we were taught the saying, reduce, reuse, and recycle. Even Blues Clues taught us the importance of recycling paper, plastic, and metal. I still shop at Goodwill myself, but I check other stores first.If you want to thrift while trying to avoid the ethical concerns of secondhand shopping, there are a few other things you can do too. One thing might not serve the person that originally bought the item, but maybe its an item youve been looking to have or something that goes great in your home. Who doesnt love a good deal? Is thrifting better than fast fashion? in Brooklyn, New York has experience working in textile recycling facilities and has witnessed the vast amounts of clothing and other household items that pour in. According to Cincinnati Goodwill, over 400 gallons of water are used to produce cotton for just one t-shirt. When you thrift something, you are not directly supporting the demand for new things to be made, and this has a positive impact since resources and energy were already used to create that item. Just think of your item of clothing in competition with millions of others to get another go-around, so you have to make sure your donation is really snazzy and looks its best.. Toxins can also disrupt ourhormones and gut microbiome, and theres still research to be uncovered as to how these chemicals can impact our bodies. The fashion industry moves fast. ! Why is thrifting sometimes considered bad? Whether you find something new with the tags on it still or a pre-loved vintage item, you are choosing an option that didnt involve new resource and energy consumption, potentially saving something from being thrown into a landfill. Waste never goes away, says Cline. These chemicals contaminate our water, soil, and air, and this can impact wildlife and the quality of many resources we use to survive. Is thrifting better than fast fashion? But ultimately, keeping your consumption in check is key. I just decline a bag and carry my 1 or 2 shirts in my hands.I recommend bringing cash until you know your stores well. Thrifting is the ultimate way to live out the slogan, "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!" Whether you're picking up a gently used outfit for that party this weekend or some glass vases to do some DIY magic. But with every new trend comes controversy. Remember the environmental impact of thrift items? 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Some popular thrift stores are Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Thrifting has quickly become a favorite pastime. Make sure you look at the materials that the items you purchase are made of. In addition to obtaining great deals, you can help the community by supporting a local charity, reducing waste, creating connections, and more. When it comes to clothing, textiles need to be grown using pesticides, and then those fabrics are treated with harsh chemicals and dyes that can be not only harmful to the environment but also to our health. For any person with a personal sense of style, thrifting shopping can be a sanctuary to express oneself. Rather than that high-quality item going to someone who needed it or wanted it, it was instead exploited for profit.When people that can afford new and nicer items remove quality items from thrift stores, it leaves little for the people that depend on thrift stores for affordable clothing and furniture. According to a previous source, thrift shops have that community vibe, where they strive to help others. Thats why thrifting is generally seen as eco-friendly. A handbag reportedly spares even more with a 267 pounds of carbon emissions savings compared to buying new. Support Charities That Do Good Factories dump their waste into waterways, therefore polluting the homes of locals and wildlife nearby, the article continues. Lots of thrift stores and charity stores arent transparent about where they source items from (or the wages theyre paying their staff.). If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This is where you can find used clothes, furniture, appliances, kitchenware, and many others that are affordable, in good condition, and sustainable. Buying items brand new might not seem like it has a very big impact on the environment, but every small action counts. The Environmental Benefits of Thrift Shopping Sadly, the clothing industry contributes 10% of carbon emissions worldwide. (Video) Why is second hand shopping sustainable? Some of these natural resources are being used at a rate that is faster than they can be produced andarenon-renewable. Rather than buying a shirt that lasts 10+ years, fast fashion makes shirts that last 2 or 3. For example, I used to go to a thrift store that funded the local Boys and Girls Club with their profits. Photo courtesy of Becca McHaffie via Unsplash. Not only are the gases from these oils polluting our atmosphere, but they are also toxic to breathe in and touch. By choosing to buy secondhand, you arent supporting the demand for new products to be made using these chemicals, and the negative impact the item has on your health can also be much less compared to buying the item brand new. Though I cant relate to the clothes and furniture side of thrift shopping, one of my favorite stores currently is Book Off, a store that sells used books, DVDs, CDs, and electronics. Over the past few years, thrifting has been adopted by sustainable shoppers and zero wasters as a popular way to reduce and reuse rather than consume. That means the secondhand t-shirt thats brand new to you effectively has no environmental impact compared to buying a new one. How do thrift stores help the community? The fast fashion industry is growing by the minute and its not stopping anytime soon. You can read more about affiliate links on our Affiliate Marketing page. Thrifting Locally Shopping sustainably by shopping at local thrift stores is a viable option to reducing, reusing, and recycling clothing. You might also like my post,25 Easy Things You Can Do Today To Be More Sustainable! Young people dont just desire thrift-store looks but also the experience of a never-ending treasure hunt. But not just fancy items, YouTubers have taken great joy in repurposing old clothes and making them into something new for DIY projects. ! Youll get an idea for your thrift stores the more you go. Thrift shopping is good for the environment and it's the easiest way to reduce carbon pollution. Unless youre doing some serious thrifting, you probably wont even need a bag. Whether you are donating your unwanted items, looking for something specific, or just seeing what is out there, Goodwill is a great resource to find cool items while saving money and the planet. The breakdown of where unsellable items wind up is listed as follows with 90 percent sold in aftermarket, 3 percent for industrial use, 2 percent for recycling and the remaining 5 percent headed for the landfill or incineration. As a gay man, I avoid the Salvation Army. But dont you get it? Basically, thrift helps in reducing manufacturing new items and prevents pollution; it helps in preventing exploitation of workers in the process, saves energy and resources. 27. There are also many benefits to thrifting in terms of environmental sustainability and ending the capitalistic, consumerist fast fashion industry. Theyre similar to thrift stores because they sell used items but they operate a bit differently. Now that weve gone through all of the benefits of thrift shopping, lets refresh our memory a bit. Find a thrift store near you, in your community, to shop at for clothes, furniture, toys, and so much more. Whenever you purchase from a thrift shop, remember that you are also boosting community development as you do so. People like you and I want to consume less, or buy less, for many different reasons but the main reason is the harmful footprint retail clothing has on the planet.For example, a cotton t-shirt has a massive environmental impact. Its basically zero.I say basically because a thrift store still needs electricity, generates waste, and does other things that have an environmental footprint. Is goodwill good for the environment? In recent years, thrift shopping has grown in popularity due to its affordable prices, the unique pieces you cant find anywhere else, and positive impact on the environment. 2020 Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago. Some of these natural resources are being used at a rate that is faster than they can be produced and. Alyssa Sanchez (20) says I love thrifting because I like to find things that others dont have. The great thing about fashion is that something out of style can go back in trend after a few years. Your purchases help us continue our work. Many people claim the rise in thrifting popularity isnt a good thing. They may fix the thrifted item before selling it. In todays society of consumerism, people often buy things without realizing they dont really need them, and with items that are cheap and accessible people tend to throw them away. Some of these natural resources are being used at a rate that is faster than they can be produced and. Cline suspects, though, that the actual amount is higher due to the low-quality, synthetic clothing barreling through our system. One major concern about thrifting is that increased demand makes it hard for people dependent on thrifting to find the affordable pieces they need within their budget.For example, thrift flipping is a harmful practice where someone takes thrift store items and resells them at a higher price for profit. This fact means that you can freely revamp thrifted pieces by altering them and adding the perfect matching accessories to make them stylish once more. So yes, thrifting is better for the environment than fast fashion. 25 Easy Things You Can Do Today To Be More Sustainable. . You can shrink the carbon footprint by limiting your fast-fashion shopping, since purchasing used pieces means less consumption of natural resources. Even though thrifting is more sustainable than buying new, it can still be wasteful if you buy things you dont need and wont use.Once you know what you need, then figure out what stores you want to go to. Thrifting is good for the environment for a multitude of reasonings: A lesser amount of resources would be wasted if people invested in second-hand clothing because, believe it or not, one cotton tee shirt requires 100 gallons of water to make and one pair of jeans requires 1,800 gallons. "The thrift store industry by contrast makes every effort to find a market for the clothes they get. When it comes to clothing, textiles need to be grown using pesticides, and then those fabrics are treated with harsh chemicals and dyes that can be not . The Salvation Army and Sunshine Thrift Store are two popular thrift stores in the Tampa Bay Area. Goodwill of Colorado holds the highest level of accreditation. Sunshine Thrift Store is a 10/10., A post shared by Sunshine Thrift Stores (@sunshine_thrift), English teacher Alison Jussaume says, I personally like thrifting because I do believe it is good for the environment. If youre trying to be sustainable, then you shouldnt really be shopping without a purpose.Only buy items that you are specifically looking for or need. Keep on reading to learn about the benefits of thrift shopping! In the past, she interned at Ka Leo, the student newspaper for UH Manoa, where she was promoted to a Staff Writer role during her last semester of college. Less clothing means fewer textiles and fabrics will end up in enormous piles in a landfill. Thats because the original owner of the piece is either selling it through the store or selling it to the consignment store, rather than dropping it off as a donation to be forgotten about. For example, the Seattle startup. For us to post your comment, please submit your name and email with the comment. What problem does the thrift store solve? 3) Less Chemical Pollution. is_redirect && ! You're just picking up pieces that would otherwise end up in landfills oh and you're not contributing to the fast fashion industry to boot. Thrifting isnt just ethical from a shopping perspective, but a giving one, too. While thrifting is often seen as a fun pasttime among those in our generation, its also important we consider the paradoxical nature of thrift shopping being popular among upper- and middle-class young people. Especially if it's not from a secondhand outlet. Just your email. When you ask a millennial why they shop at thrift stores, most of them will reply, its because you can get more exclusive vintage pieces at a thrift store than a typical shop.. When you recycle clothing, youre preserving water. They usually support local charities. its an item youve been looking to have or something that goes great in your home. One thing might not serve the person that originally bought the item, but maybe. Whether you find something new with the tags on it still or a pre-loved vintage item, you are choosing an option that didnt involve new resource and energy consumption, potentially saving something from being thrown into a landfill,andlessening the burden of pollutants on the environment that come from consumerism. , like the dismantling of endangered species conservation for oil and gas production, we must become smarter and more sustainable consumers. In the end, youll feel better about yourself because youre providing a new home for your gently used purchases. With thrifting, you keep these items from going to waste by giving them a new life. Why is thrifting important for the sustainable fashion economy? If you have kids who are growing fast, its cost effective to buy a $7 pair of jeans rather than a $20 pair. For example, in a study carried out by, and commissioned by online secondhand retailer. Im the worst person to go shopping with, says Ponitch. The rest are often thrown in the trash, contributing to waste, or are donated to far way countries contributing to more carbon emissions. Your email address will not be published. 1) Bettering The Environment Thrifting promotes the reuse of these pieces, keeping more of these materials out of landfills for a longer period of time. Instead of becoming unnecessary waste, donated clothing and household goods are sold in Goodwill stores, where they can be reused and repurposed over and over again. More on that later. Toxins can also disrupt our hormones and gut microbiome, and theres still research to be uncovered as to how these chemicals can impact our bodies. Another concern with thrifting has to do with the ethics of large thrift stores. When you thrift something, you are not directly supporting the demand for new things to be made, and this has a positive impact since resources and energy were already used to create that item. The Environmental Benefits of Thrift Shopping. Second-hand clothing reduces waste. Buyingitemsbrandnew might not seem like it hasa very bigimpact on the environment, but every small action counts. If you wonder why thrift store shopping is thriving right now, its because people who have limited financial resources opt to buy at these shops. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Thanks for joining me today! You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. Both of these options can be a bit pricey, but if they last, feel great, and impact the environment positively, its an investment worth making. One thing might not serve the person that originally bought the item, but maybe. In todays society of consumerism, people often buy things without realizing they dont really need them, and with items that are cheap and accessible people tend to throw them away. 13. All in all, its not always the environmentally friendly option most of us think it is. Why thrifting is good for the environment? To sum it up, thrift store shopping lets you save the environment while also helping your wallet. The following article hopes to help you make more suitable choices and get more useful . 18.6 million tons of clothes are incinerated or sent to landfills every year. Many individuals and families rely on local thrift stores to find clothing at affordable prices. The production of synthetic materials used to make most clothing pieces emits nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that is incredibly harmful to the environment, into the atmosphere. How does thrifting lower your carbon footprint? By shopping for things second. Buying secondhand keeps clothes out of landfills which saves energy because more wear is gotten from that piece of clothing. However, the 5 percent statistic is consistent with the. Saving your money counts as saving the planet, in a way. Compared to H&Ms $40 average or designer brands like Burberrys $400+ prices, thats a pretty good price, especially for wardrobe basics like jeans. When you thrift something, you are not directly supporting the demand for new things to be made, and this has a positive impact since resources and energy were already used to create that item. In the past, showing hauls from fast fashion brands like Zara and Shien was all the rage on social media. A handbag reportedly spares even more with a 267 pounds of carbon emissions savings compared to buying new. Not only are we using fewer resources when we thrift something, but overall, less things are thrown away as well. By shopping for things secondhand, you are voting with your dollar as a consumer to not support the industries that cause pollution and tons of waste. Whether you are donating your unwanted items, looking for something specific, or just seeing what is out there, Goodwill is a great resource to find cool items while saving money and the planet. Thrift trends are sweeping the nation. Its good to buy clothing that already exists instead of contributing to the demand of cheaply made clothing, specifically overseas. In addition to reducing the amount of waste we create from manufacturing clothing, thrifting also decreases the amount of energy we use to make these clothing items. Environmental activism is the biggest motivating factor for organizations to take environmental action, with revenue and growth opportunities and customer demand being the others, as per a study by German technology firm SAP. hand, you are voting with your dollar as a consumer to not support the industries that cause pollution and tons of waste. The creation of new things takes a lot of resources, especially in todays world of fast fashion and hyper-consumerism. Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news, Want More? Thrift shopping, or secondhand shopping, isnt just for the frugal anymore. Shopping second hand is a great way to give a new home to some awesome items that would otherwise end up in the trash. How does thrift prove good to humanity? Nobody taught us the importance of textile recycling, however. Why is thrifting better than buying new? This method . It takes a lot of manufacturing and processing to be able to create new things. Despite how good thrifting sounds right now, there are some common concerns about the rising trend. Why is thrifting better than fast fashion? According to Leonela Leon, a student at the University of California Berkeley, as more and more people have learned about the negative effects of the fashion industry, more have turned to thrifting, which has dramatically increased in popularity over the recent years.. Additionally, the production of garments is a major pollutant. Those are the little ways we can help but, of course, the big changes will come from the top with brands needing to move back toward prioritizing durability and making items easier to recycle. Some of the benefits include: 1) Thrifting Helps Reduce Waste And Landfill Accumulation. Also, better legislation is needed in order to hold brands more responsible for the environmental impact which is starting to gain traction in Europe, she added. Photo Credit: Hope Joffray/ Achona Online. I promise you those sweaters didnt cost the equivalent of $20 when they were first bought.Today, you can go to a store at any mall or shopping center and buy a relatively cheap article of clothing. Thrifting is also a good way to get clothes that are less expensive, still in good condition, and brand name., One popular online thrift store is ThredUp who claims to be the largest online secondhand shopping destination., Jussaume says I use ThredUp a lot. You can reduce your carbon footprint by thrifting. Additionally, the production of garments is a major pollutant. In general, thrifting can be pretty hit or miss, so ThredUp is an easy way to find exactly what you are looking for., A post shared by Melissa Cox | HS Teacher (@theyoungishteacher), Achona Copyright 2023 FLEX WordPress Theme by SNO Log in, Your email address will not be published. 26. By choosing to buy secondhand, you arent supporting the demand for new products to be made using these chemicals, and the negative impact the item has on your health can also be much less compared to buying the item brand new. (Video) Thrifting: Environmental and Economic Benefits, (Video) Thrifting: The Environmental and Money Saving Impact of Thrift Shopping, (Video) Thrifting, zero waste, and sustainability can be detrimental (and what you can do instead), (Video) Why Thrifting is Good for the Environment- Persuasive Spch, (Video) THRIFTING TIPS / WHY THRIFT SHOPPING BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT / GREENWASHING, (Video) Motivational Presentation: Thrift Shopping and Its Positive Effect on the Environment, (Video) Here's How Thrifting Is Great For The Environment. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service. While thrifting began in the late 19th century, it didn't gain popularity until the early 2000s. When you donate and shop at thrift stores, you are preventing clothes from going into landfills, and because many thrift stores are run by nonprofits (like Out of the Closet and Salvation Army), you are supporting your community. Rather than following fashion trends, many people opt for thrifting as a way to communicate personal style. However, fast fashion corporations utilize mass production that perpetuates economic inequality, making thrift shopping the most equitable way to get clothes. That adds up to around 26 BILLION pounds of clothing going right to landfills. The breakdown of where unsellable items wind up is listed as follows with 90 percent sold in aftermarket, 3 percent for industrial use, 2 percent for recycling and the remaining 5 percent headed for the landfill or incineration.