Piper tells us why thrifting is environmentally-friendly and a more rewarding process as a whole.
I recently had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with my sister, with the main objective being her helping to find me some cute clothes. Instead of going to a mall, or any other stores, we visited a couple of Goodwills in search of secondhand pieces. We were lucky enough to find a few good finds, and an “old lady” sweatshirt that our mother was less than thrilled by. All in all, it was a fun day, and it reminds me why I’m trying to find more clothing secondhand.
I’ve been trying to make more environmentally friendly purchases for a while now, especially with the clothing I buy. Fast fashion is incredibly damaging to the environment, as most of it is produced with synthetic materials that don’t break down once they’re thrown out, quite a lot of it is outsourced to countries with unethical labor practices, and a lot of water is used in production. Buying items from sustainable clothing brands, while better than sticking to fast fashion brands, still requires resources and water usage to create. And, since the clothing is sustainably sourced and ethically produced, it’s often more expensive as a result.
"It’s better for the environment than throwing them away, and it gives someone else the chance to fall in love with something from your wardrobe."
That’s why shopping secondhand is my favorite way to purchase “new” clothing. It’s far cheaper than buying new clothing, and it doesn’t require any production. The only downside is that searching for something that I like that is also in a size that fits me can take a long time, but even that aspect of it can be fun. My sister and I got a lot of entertainment out of some of the more interesting pieces we found. Not to mention, all the time spent searching makes finding a couple of gems more exciting.
If Goodwill doesn’t appeal to you, there’s tons of other options for finding cute, secondhand items. Online thrift stores, such as ThredUp, have begun to rise in popularity, along with other apps and websites like Depop or Poshmark, that allow you to both buy and sell clothing. Of course, there’s also traditional consignment shops you can browse, and countless other local thrift stores.
I highly recommend spending an afternoon browsing a couple of thrift stores, just to see what you can find. It’s also worthwhile to donate your clothes to a Goodwill or other thrift store, or to try consigning them, if you have some pieces that are in great condition. It’s better for the environment than throwing them away, and it gives someone else the chance to fall in love with something from your wardrobe.