The average closet can often be characterized as a graveyard for fast fashion and old trends. The fashion industry moves at an alarming rate and it can be hard to stay on top of the newest movement. Except, believe it or not, one of the best ways to curate your closet is not a stop at the shopping mall, but a visit to your local thrift store. Thrifting is no longer just a decision for the budget conscious or the vintage obsessed, but a choice for the everyday person to improve their wardrobe.
One of the reasons that thrifting is superior to regular shopping is its environmental impact.The UN says that the fashion industry contributes to almost 10% of global carbon emissions. Most people are not aware of how much their clothing contributes to global warming. Global society news says to produce a single cotton t-shirt, it takes roughly 2,700 liters of water, the same amount a single person drinks over two and a half years. Buying and using clothing already in circulation is a way to keep new clothing out of the trash. Also, thrifting is a way for people to add a sustainable habit to their life and counteract the 11 million tons of textile waste that enter U.S. landfills annually.
Beyond the impact on the planet, there is also the matter of quality. The fast fashion business often relies on quantity over quality. Weak materials are often favored so that clothes can be manufactured faster. Low quality materials also force consumers further into the retail cycle. On the other hand, clothes finding their way to the thrift store proves their durability. A pair of jeans that have already been worn and are intact through years are a much better alternative to a mall shirt that will fall apart after a couple of washes. Not only does secondhand clothing stand for sustainability, it stands for quality.
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, are the ethical problems that fast fashion poses. To keep up with the quick changes in trends, the retail business often exploits vulnerable populations. Low prices often come with unsafe working conditions and unfair wages. While no supply chain is perfect, buying secondhand keeps clothing in circulation and stops the demand for constant production and the systems that prioritize profit over ethics.
Even with this all taken into consideration, thrifting can be a hard habit to adopt. Sometimes shopping second hand is not feasible, but thrifting is easier than ever. Due to the rise of resale platforms like Depop and Poshmark, thrifting has gone digital. making it much more accessible which means sustainable shopping is more convenient than ever.
Actively choosing to shop second hand is a small everyday decision that can make an enormous impact. By going for pre-owned items people do not just save money, they are actively saving our planet one shirt at a time.
