Since kindergarten, we’ve all been told to reduce, reuse and recycle. But all too often, we forget the many ways we can incorporate “The Three R’s” in our every day life.
Every collegiette loves to shop, but with each trip to a retail store, an opportunity to go green is missed. Thrift stores are an environmentally friendly way to find great clothing, — and on a budget.
According to the Go Green Network, by shopping at thrift stores, you’re doing reducing, reusing and recycling in a big way. By reusing these pieces, you’re reducing the amount of items going into landfills, as well as the carbon footprint that comes with manufacturing new items, and recycling the materials.
Megan Visk, senior in LAS, said she loves shopping at thrift stores, largely because it is a great way to find unique pieces, while also saving the planet — and money. On average, her trips to the thrift store will cost about $10 to $15, and at any normal retail store she’ll spend upwards of $50.
Visk has been hitting up thrift stores since junior high and will shop for second-hand items about once a month.
“It reduces trash,” she said. “When people donate things to a thrift store, they’re not throwing it away, and when you shop there, you’re re-using it.”
Sara Hudson, owner of Dandelion, a vintage and used clothing store in Champaign, said by shopping at thrift stores, you’re giving a second or sometimes third life to perfectly usable, and many times trendy, clothing.
“It’s being green in the best possible way,” she said. “Perfectly good clothing can get another turn before it lands in the landfill. It can be re-worn, re-loved,” she said.
At Dandelion, they always try to stay ahead of the trends, selling unique, fashion-forward pieces. Hudson said they go on buying trips around the Mid-West, to New York and to other large cities to find the best possible pieces for their store.
Thrift store shopping isn’t limited to clothes, Visk pointed out. Second-hand stores will often have a large variety of items, from CDs and DVDs to furniture. Visk said she’s found some cool shoes, awesome paintings, and other decorative items.
“It’s a really cheap, environmentally friendly way to decorate your house or apartment,” she said.
Many people are intimidated by thrift store shopping, since you cant just pick a look off a mannequin or a sweater from a stack on the table. Thrift store shopping requires time, Visk said.
Hudson said thrift store shopping is much easier when you concentrate on one type of item, like shoes or sweaters, rather than trying to absorb the whole store. It also helps to have a color in mind, since many thrift stores will organize items by color.
The real key, Visk said, is getting creative.
“Don’t be afraid to take chances,” she said. “Take a risk on different kinds of stuff and be creative in how you use it.”
If you are interested in this cheaper, greener shopping solution, here are a few stores you can visit in Champaign:
Dandelion
9 E. Taylor St.
Champaign
Salvation Army
2212 N. Market St.
Champaign
Goodwill
912 W. Anthony Dr.
Champaign
Carrie’s Antiques & Jewelry
204 N. Neil St.
Champaign