The current climate of today’s world has gone from fawning over every new item Forever 21 churned out, to turning away from old shopping habits to save the environment. Such a change in attitude can come as a shock, but considering how imperative it is to know how bad the textile waste problem is growing, it’s good to know there are steps to make a small but necessary step to make a difference. Gently loved clothing is the new craze, and hopefully something that won’t turn out to be a fad whenever people get tired of having other people’s clothing. If you’re still getting the hang of sustainability and all the terms that come with it, no worries, there’s a guide that explains it all.
Getting a new product
When you thrift, you don’t have to get rid of everything you have, you can also be part of the ongoing positive lifecycle of said product and you can get something great for good value. TheRealReal has created a whole business on this idea of continuing the lifecycle of luxury goods. They believe in a circular economy that utilizes the maximum value of items and extending its life.
Clothing isn’t going into a landfill
Textile waste has grown to become a major problem in the last decade. Not to fret because there are options out there to help limit the amount of waste that we produce. Goodwill Industries operates more than 3,200 stores where used clothing can be donated, plus they will offer a tax return sheet for anything that you donate to them. Pretty sweet right?
Increasing the Life Cycle of the Product
Someones gets to get an item and re-love it over and over again. How amazing is that? A few of my favorite places that love to re-love your unloved items are Swap Society and Me We Repair Lab. Swap society believes in refreshing wardrobes with the added reward of saving money by not buying new.
Saving Money
The benefits of not buying new clothing also presents the idea of saving money. Thrifting is an opportunity to find new gems for half the cost.
Giving Back
Sometimes, well, let’s face it, most of the time, we outgrow our once loved possessions. Yes, of course, the sweater you had since high school that helped you get through a breakup, a finals week and landed you that first job may be absolutely adorable to you, but it’s time to part ways. It’s for the best.
