A few weekends ago, I was walking up Queen Street in Toronto. Exhausted from shopping, I decided to go to one last shop- a thrift shop. And it was the best idea I have ever made (just a slight exaggeration). You know those $90 American Apparel jeans? Well I got those for $20. In my size. In perfect condition. Thrifting is one of the few things that you can do that is good for the earth, cheaper than the alternative and much more fashionable!
Why should you start thrifting?
1. Price: Being on a student budget is sometimes difficult when all you want to do is splurge on a whole new wardrobe. In most thrift stores, you can buy entire outfits for less than $10. It may be overwhelming at first, but it is completely worth it. Take the time to search through the racks, you will find treasures!
2. The environment: By buying clothing second-hand, you are reducing the demand for cheap labour (yes, one person a.k.a. you can make a difference). ABC news estimates that 98% of the clothing purchased in the U.S. comes from abroad. That means that a sweater hanging on the rack at a department store traveled thousands of miles, using up energy and polluting the planet with coal and natural gas along its way to the store and ultimately inside our closet. In contrast buying second-hand clothing produces a significantly smaller carbon footprint. While the sweater may first have come from thousands of miles away, it likely made itself into the shop after someone made use of it and then sold or donated it to the shop. The only carbon emissions associated with that sweater is the fuel it took the donator and the shopper to make their way to the store. By thrifting, you are supporting a sustainable model where clothing doesn’t end up in the landfill.
3. Community Development: Most thrift stores are run by non-profit organizations who use the money they raise for good. Consignment stores such as Value Village and the Salvation Army employ financially unstable people so just by shopping there, you are providing jobs for them. For example, HANDmeUPs thrift shop (operated by the nonprofit organization, The Power of the Dream) trains and employs teens and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Plaid, high-waisted jeans, oversized sweater and the general recycling of fashion (no pun intended) has made it easy and enjoyable for people to add to the wardrobes they love without spending a fortune.
I am excited to say that INDEVOURS will be having a Community Trunk Sale on July 26th at St. Pauls University College in Waterloo where I will be selling a LARGE chunk of my closet! Come check it out!
chezjehan 