Sense, British Heart Foundation, Oxfam… all names of the UK’s most loved charity shops.
It is an undeniable fact that the world is dying and the sea is filling up with plastic and taking the lives of vulnerable sea creatures and although the world is trying to combat this through the use of reusable straws, compostable shopping bags and recycling we are forgetting another major thing that is damaging the environment and is going to waste- clothing. According to www.edgexpo.com, “Up to 95% of the textiles that are land filled each year could be recycled”.
“another man's trash is another man's treasure”
To combat this unhealthy amount of clothing landfill, resale sites are being encouraged more than ever and the charity shopping cycle’s wheels are most defiantly in motion- faster than a bullet.
Being a student is one big weight put on my (bank account’s) shoulders and wanting some new pieces from H&M, TopShop or Urban Outfitters can be a financial struggle so Charity Shopping is a blessing. It’s amazing what you can find on the rails of Oxfam- something old and something new. If you’re into your retro clothing like me- your local charity shop can be your best bet and finding an old Nike sweatshirt that is near enough, bespoke for a guaranteed affordable price.
Although UK charity shops are great, the ‘thrift stores’ across the pond are what dreams are made of, many are categorized into a certain style making it easier to find your ‘thing’. Would there be a rise in sustainable fashion across the whole world if this pre-loved clothing approach was put in place everywhere? The divide of different clothing aesthetics by shops proves to be successful way of easing customer’s into simple shopping. These fast fashion stores could be argued to be the leading factor of why so much clothing is ending up in landfill and putting stock into resale stores could be the way forward.
