Thrifting has become quite trendy lately, though it may be a difficult task to find wearable pieces. But, in a world full of fast fashion retailers and online brands like Forever 21, Shein, and H&M, thrifting reigns champion in terms of environmental-friendliness. I’ve been thrifting since I could purchase clothes. It is an extremely affordable option, and quite amusing to search for that one-of-a-kind, wearable treasure that beats other treasure hunts!
Thrifting is so commonplace for me during shopping sprees that it slips my mind that others don’t take advantage of this charming task. So, I’ll answer your burning question: why should YOU thrift?
It’s friendly for the environment!
Re-wearing clothes reduces waste and pollution. Production of garments is very harmful to the environment, so one less product purchased from clothing stores is one less product produced. Making fabrics such as polyester require a lot of fossil fuels and gas emissions that aren’t great for the environment. Aside from these manufacturer effects on the environment, transportation pollution is reduced when clothing is purchased from thrift stores, as people probably travel shorter distances to drop these items off than when clothing is flown from countries around the world to different stores.
You know who you are purchasing from!
It’s no secret that big corporations, such as Wal-Mart, and Target, use manual labor in factories abroad to create clothing. Are the workers of legal working age? Do they receive a fair wage? Do they work in a safe environment? Do these corporations hold views that you support or oppose? This “tracking” process is greatly reduced when shopping in thrift stores, since the process really only includes the store you are shopping at. For better or for worse, the clothing was already purchased from the corporation, so money in thrift stores doesn’t go to these factories.
Clothing is cheaper, and sometimes, higher quality!
Each time I leave a thrift store, I leave with a bag full of clothes. A t-shirt and two pairs of jeans may cost you the same as purchasing a new shirt at American Eagle! Some thrift stores receive clothing from large, designer brands and are sold for almost 90% less than the original price.
So, if you haven’t already, hop on the bandwagon! Head to your nearest thrift store and discover the wonders of this fruitful activity!