The Benefits of Thrifting

With the rise of becoming more environmentally conscientious, a sustainable trend to buying affordable clothes and furniture is thrifting. This not-so-new way to shop has been on the rise and is hopefully here to stay.

According to goodwillaz.org, thrifting is defined as,

“A store [that] sells gently used clothing, furniture, and other household items at a discounted price.” People of all genders, ages, and income have tried thrifting to find staple items for an affordable price.

Lauryn Unger, a local thrifter, started thrifting in 2018 and has never looked back.

“You never know what you’re going to find.” says Unger. “I sometimes go into a thrift store wanting one thing and leave with four! It has not only helped me financially but I’ve been trying to help the environment by shopping secondhand and I feel this is a perfect way to start.”

Being environmentally conscious has become a regular part of people's lives due to the concerns of climate change and increased amounts of disposable waste.

According to Manoj Kumar Ramos, through a 2018 study on the upcycling phenomena,

”The estimated amount of textile-based goods being consumed yearly is roughly 30 million tons. This has caused the disposal rate of clothing to, unfortunately, increase, resulting in discarded garments piling up in landfills.” Fast fashion incorporations produce enormous amounts of waste which harms the environment, and second-hand shopping is one way to reduce those numbers.

While thrifting clothes won’t solve all the problems within the fashion industry or the amount of waste produced, it is a small step toward a better future environmentally. So if you’d like to give it a try, check out your local thrift store and see the amazing things they have to offer.