Why you should shop second-hand

    Welcome to Thrifty Threads! Here I will be sharing all things thrifting, vintage, and secondhand shopping!

    Buying clothing secondhand is an extremely effective way for a person to reduce their carbon footprint and positively impact the environment. Buying second-hand has a larger impact than the one on your wardrobe. It perfectly combines discovering the most incredible pieces and promoting a more sustainable fashion industry!

The societal impact:

1. According to WRAP, an estimated £140 million worth of clothes are sent to the landfill each YEAR in the UK alone.

2. Buying second-hand keeps clothes out of the landfill and in circulation for much longer. WRAP says that keeping clothing in circulation for just 9 months longer can reduce a person’s carbon footprint by up to 30%.

3. All charity shops in the UK are in collaboration with a charity—hence the name! When shopping at these places, you are supporting some amazing charities like the British Heart Foundation.

The personal impact:

1. Brits aged 18-35 spend a collective average of £1.6 billion per month on fashion, according to Depop. Vox reports that between 80-150 billion garments are produced each year Buying second hand can save the average 18-35 year old £30-£50 per season, according to Depop. This amount can make a huge difference towards things like energy bills and can even pay for a night out! As a group, save-y second-hand shoppers save £2.8 billion per year.

2. Second-hand shopping can allow a person to discover amazing unique items from unknown brands. I found these amazing sage green trousers in Glasgow from a brand I have never heard of before!

Sources

Depop (2022) Depop reveals how much you save by shopping secondhand. Available at: https://news.depop.com/company-news/depop-reveals-how-much-you-can-save-by-shopping-secondhand/#:~:text=The%2018%2D35%20year%20olds,on%20their%20autumn%2Fwinter%20wardrobe (Accessed 6 Oct 2023).

Waste & Resources Action Programme (2015) Household Waste Prevention Hub: Re-use – Clothing. Available at: https://wrap.org.uk/resources/guide/textiles/clothing (Accessed 6 Oct 2023).

Waste & Resources Action Programme (2017) Valuing our clothes: The cost of the UK fashion. Available at: https://wrap.org.uk/resources/report/valuing-our-clothes-cost-uk-fashion (Accessed 6 Oct 2023).

Wicker, A. (2020) Fashion has a misinformation problem. That’s bad for the environment. Available at: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/1/27/21080107/fashion-environment-facts-statistics-impact (Accessed 6 Oct 2023).