5 Reasons to Get Thrifty this Year
Consumers are becoming more aware of how they are spending their money. With our current environmental climate, they are even more conscious of this. The new wave of “thrifting” is taking over, and it is no longer just for the budget-conscious shopper. We’re sharing the top 5 reasons to get thrifting this year.
1. Thrifting reduces your carbon footprint.
Think about everything that goes into one garment. From growing the plant that the fibers come from, all the way to the fuel it takes to get it to stores. Every step along the way is a resource being used. Shopping at Goodwill reduces the waste of resources and eliminates how many are being used to get your product home. Think of it as recycling for your clothing!
2. Fast fashion is bad for the environment and everyone involved.
So we talked carbon footprint, but what about the steps in between? The dyes used to color clothing take a lot of water, and then get washed out and contaminate the waterways during the process. Not only that, but fumes from factories are released into the air, hurting the environment and affecting air quality. Factories are to blame not only for pollution but also for the sweatshops that are housed inside of them. Bangladesh is home to a large number of sweatshops for common brands such as Gap, H&M, and Zara. In many of these sweatshops, workers earn around US$32 a month, working over 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.
3. Thrifting reduces water usage.
Over 20 billion gallons of water are used annually in the textile industry from growing cotton and other sources of natural fibers to dyeing fabric. By shopping at Goodwill, you are doing your part to lower water usage.
4. Support Local Causes
Goodwill’s mission is to create employment opportunities and job training in the community. By donating and shopping at Goodwill, you are helping Goodwill raise money to fund job and life skills training to people with barriers to employment. When you round up, that money goes to supporting this mission. Consider rounding up next time you are in the stores to help others in the area!
5. Find great brands at a fraction of the price!
By donating to Goodwill, you are making sure your clothing does not end up in a landfill, you are supporting good causes in your own community, and you are giving others the opportunity to not purchase fast fashion. After putting in perspective just how bad buying only new is for the environment, take a look at your closet to see what you don’t need anymore and start fresh in 2020!
