One thing that has rapidly developed in the 21st century is the consumption of fashion. For example, anyone has access to any item they wish to buy 24 hours a day by just entering their favorite search engine. As a result, customers are constantly searching for ways to acquire things at the lowest cost. Industries use these demands to encourage the constant purchase of items that meet the customers’ needs. This leads to what is known as “fast fashion,” which occurs when large companies produce low quality clothing in excess quantities and sell it for a low price with the purpose of following current trends. The public’s preferences, or tendencies, can last for a few days to a few years, depending on the popularity they have gained. Through the purchasing and sale of second-hand clothing, people have found a way to combat this fast fashion derived overconsumption. Non-profit organizations such as La Fondita de Jesús and El Hogar Buen Pastor practice sustainability through their micro-enterprises. They offer free services like rehabilitation programs and shelter for people in economic need or unstable conditions. Both have second-hand stores where they accept donations in order to provide the necessary services for household members. They have also each explained how some clothes-selling chains have influenced the growth of their corporations.
Picture taken by author. Illustrating Rocío Nájeraurriola at La Percha 704 in Santurce.
La Fondita de Jesús owns La Percha 704, located in Santurce. The facilitator of micro-enterprise services and volunteers at the store, Rocío Nájeraurriola Santiago, expressed that the rise of fast fashion chains has benefited them. “We’ve received donations directly from large retail store warehouses– inventory that they didn’t sell and was later sent to us. Sometimes it’s because the items have defects, other times simply because it’s no longer in season,” Santiago explained
Picture taken by author. Illustrating cushions made from up-cycled materials by members of the organization La Fondita de Jesús.
She also added how the organization offers various workshops as well as training programs that allow participants to acquire skills that support their reintegration to society. One way they offer these services is through upcycling workshops in which clothes are transformed and given a new purpose. “The same clothes that arrive, which can’t be sold because they’re dirty or imperfect, can be repurposed as materials to create other items,” Santiago mentioned. Textiles are recycled to avoid throwing away clothes, something she considers a sustainable alternative.
Picture taken by author. Illustrating the entrance to La Tiendita Joy in Puerta de Tierra, San Juan.
Another organization that has received donations from fast fashion chains is El Hogar Buen Pastor for their micro-enterprise, La Tiendita Joy. The executive director of the corporation, Tere Beard, mentioned how having access to these mass-selling clothing stores has helped them. “Once, a store from Plaza Las Américas donated 150,000 new items to us,” Beard said. She clarified that the pieces were given with the condition that the store’s name and tags were removed, so she isn’t aware of which store it was. The clothes were sold at affordable prices to ensure their sale.
Therefore, El Hogar Buen Pastor’s administrator, Gilberto Reyes, explained that they haven’t been affected because of the growth second-hand stores have experienced in recent years. He mentioned how well-known fashion chains like Zara and H&M have started implementing pilot second-hand stores after witnessing their growth in the market. “Since most of the clothes we distribute come from those places, which reflect people’s taste and shopping habits, you’ll always find that style and those kinds of trends in the stores,” added Reyes.
Both El Hogar Buen Pastor and La Fondita de Jesús agreed that donations contribute to the growth of the household and the services provided. Therefore, these micro-enterprises strive to keep their prices accessible to the public to guarantee the increase of sales. “Many times, people label or stigmatize second hand stores as a flea market. We’re constantly working to ensure we can be just as competitive as any other clothing store,” Reyes expressed.
As a result, making each store and its pricing accessible to the public has become essential to the development of these microenterprises. Additionally, when large retail chains explore ways to support the growth of local shops, it marks a small but meaningful step towards mitigating the impact caused by the overconsumption of fast fashion. Today, customers have the option to make conscious fashion choices by supporting second hand shops, whether it is by donating or purchasing, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable future.