Eventually, we all reach a point in our shopaholic ways where we decide that it is time to get rid of some of our clothes because they aren’t your style anymore, they have some damage to them or they don’t fit like they used to. Your first reaction may be to toss them in the garbage, but this causes buildup in landfills and contributes to the toxic cycle of fast fashion. As Americans, we throw away approximately 70 pounds of textiles per person per year which is horrible for the environment and takes a toll on the Earth. There are many ways to avoid throwing clothes out to slow down the fast fashion cycle and to help in saving the earth, one t-shirt at a time.
Sell Them
With as much technology that is available to us in our daily lives, it is easier than ever to sell your old clothes. Websites like Depop, Poshmark and eBay make it simple to earn cash for your garments by uploading a few pictures and writing a brief description of the garment. If you aren’t as tech-savvy, try consignment boutiques like Plato’s Closet, Clothes Mentor, Uptown Cheapskate or Buffalo Exchange. You can even sell to digital consignment stores like Thread-Up. And any clothes you don’t sell, since you are planning on getting rid of anyways, you can donate them to places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. They are always willing to take gently used items, especially clothes. By going through several filters, you prevent throwing away mass amounts of garments.
Repair Them
For any garments that have a bit of damage to them, try to repair them. You can get a cheap sewing kit from a dollar store and fix any holes, torn seams or loose hems. If there are stains try researching ways to remove them, baking soda and dishwasher soap are an easy stain remover that works on old and new stains of many variations.
Upcycle Them
Go on Pinterest and lookup upcycled clothes, t-shirts and so on. You will find a treasure trove of ways to reuse your old clothing, especially if the garment has sentimental value or a pattern that you are in love with. Upcycling channels your creativity to give your textiles a longer lifespan and more value into your life by repurposing it into something more useful. They can also be made into a cheaper alternative to buying something (like pillows) by refashioning your old garments into new items. You could even sell upcycled garments and items that you make on marketplaces such as Etsy as another way to make money from your other clothes.
There are plenty of ways to avoid throwing out clothes without a lot of effort, you can be creative with it and even profit from it. It is better for the earth, better for the people making your clothes and better for your conscious.