Millennials and Gen Z’s have been swept up in a new trend in 2019, and it is amazing! Most people with a subscription to Netflix have seen Marie Condo’s show called Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, and if they haven’t seen it, they have definitely heard about it on social media. This has caused a flurry of young people to rush to thrift stores and clothing consignments stores to donate their unwanted clothing. Popular YouTube vloggers are documenting their closet cleanups, and people are loving it.
This is an incredible change for our generation and the generation before us. For too long we have been victims of mass consumption. Fast fashion and online shopping have made it quick, easy, and mindless for us to purchase we don’t need or necessarily really want. Marie Kondo and her show have made all of us stop to look at our overstuffed closets and consider what we own that really brings us happiness and joy. Because of this thrift and clothing consignment stores have seen a significant increase in business from people wanting to donate their used items, as well as people looking to consume clothing more responsibly. This is the best possible outcome because many clothing consignment stores are nonprofits or donate much of their proceeds to charity organizations.
Personally, I made a New Year’s Resolution to consume only recycled fashion this year. So far, I have stuck to it. I urge everyone to consider the material items that they own and to figure out why they have those items. It is important to be a conscious consumer. You don’t have to swear off fast fashion completely, but you should definitely think about every purchase that you make!