In a world with expansive online shopping and stores on every corner, it’s hard to take a step back and think about the negative impacts of constantly buying new clothes. We take for granted what goes into every article of clothing that we own. Clothes are constantly being made, slightly worn, and quickly thrown away in order to move onto the next new style. Fast fashion creates easy access to cheap clothes that are on trend, at the price of horrible working conditions, over production, and negative environmental impacts. A simple solution to reduce your impact is to head down to your local thrift stores the next time you get the urge for a new look.
Thrifting is something that many people haven’t gotten into, mainly due to the idea that wearing used clothes is “gross,” or that all the clothes are out dated and not in style. The fact is, if you wash the clothes you buy at thrift stores before wearing them, then they are perfectly fine. Even new clothes you purchase have been handled, shipped across oceans, and tried on by many people and should be washed before wearing. Just because something is new, doesn’t mean it’s any cleaner than clothes you can purchase at thrift stores.
In regards to those who feel that they can’t thrift the styles they want, I would encourage you to give it a try! As a society, we get so sucked into the idea of what is acceptable to wear, and what will make you look “cool,” that we all end up wearing the same things as one another. Thrifting allows you to become more unique in your style, and find hidden gems that you otherwise would never consider wearing. You get to reinvent your style and become more individualistic, and less concerned about wearing what everyone else is wearing.
The main selling point here has to be the savings for your wallet. You just can’t beat the prices of thrift stores. You can easily find pieces from expensive brands, like Patagonia, L.L Bean, and Levi’s for under ten dollars. Some of my favorite Levi’s jeans were thrifted, so they were inexpensive and perfectly worn in. The experience of thrifting is much different from buying clothes online or in a mall. It becomes more of an activity, where you’re searching and digging through the racks to find the perfect shirt or pair of pants. It is a great activity to do alone or with friends, and when you find that amazing article of clothing for a reasonable price you feel so much joy and excitement that doesn’t come with other forms of shopping. You form a deeper connection with the clothes you wear, and every piece has a story.
If you can’t get on board with thrifting after reading this, please at least take away the importance of donating your clothes that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Donating clothes is a great way to help out people who are not as fortunate as you, and to reduce the environmental impact of the clothing industry. Recycling anything, including clothing, is one of the most important ways for us to help the planet. By thrifting clothes, we reduce the amount of water and energy it takes to ship new articles from other countries or states. There is no packaging with thrifted clothes, which will decrease the amount of plastic produced and used. By donating your old clothes you’re taking steps in becoming greener and leaving a smaller mark on our planet! And you never know, the clothes that you don’t wear anymore because you’re bored of them may end up being someone’s favorite piece! As they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.