Hello Vintage Hunters!
Let’s continue with the second article about sustainable fashion.
Now each of us has to be part of the change. So the question is - How can we influence and change the situation? It’s time to think seriously about that and to start . We found one possible solution for the fashion industry that is thrift shopping. It’s not only about stylish, vintage clothes, sometimes even cheaper ones, but also about sustainability. Let’s dive deeper into this question and understand why thrifting is a part of the so-called “sustainable fashion”.
The main idea behind thrifting is to extend the life of already used things, in our case clothes, to keep them in circulation as much time as possible, by benefiting both you and the environment. According to UNEP (2018), it takes about 2,000 gallons of water to produce a pair of jeans. That's more than enough for one person to drink eight cups per day for 10 years. Therefore, the most we can do now is to continue using the same pair of jeans to not promote overproduction, as in the end, 85% of textiles end up in the landfills. There are already enough clothes in the world, and there is no harm in exchanging or buying already worn products. By buying second-hand clothing you don’t spend money for big corporations to deplete the Earth.
We also took note of the environmental initiatives that were joined by NGOs, foundations or celebrities from different industries. Everyone who cares, should understand that encouraging and reusing clothes is one of the most important things to maintain a balance between the amount of clothes produced and the amount of clothes thrown away annually.
Even if our impact is small, it starts from each of us trying to convince as many people as possible of the importance of the sustainable use of clothes. At an European level there are important initiatives that we support and we want to be implemented in a short time. One of these examples is the Plan for the Circular Economy. European Commission adopted a circular economy action plan, which includes an EU strategy for textiles, aimed at stimulating innovation and boosting reuse within the sector, which means that the seriousness of the problem is known by the international authorities and bodies.
In addition, it is a well known fact that “fast fashion” leads to labor exploitation and poor working conditions in the process of production. Instead of being a part of this industry we suggest visiting thrift shops which support small handmade businesses and local designers, which could not be presented in huge retail stores. There are many creative designers who don’t have the opportunity of opening their own stores and they sell their “piece of art” to thrift shops. Therefore, in small thrift shops you have a much higher chance of finding authentic and unique hand-made clothes created by local artists. In this way you can find unique pieces that can express your individual style.
Until then we invite you to join us and buy second-hand clothes, this is the least we could do for a better world.
We believe that up until now, our articles have proven to you that Thrift Shops offer a wide range of clothes with lots of options. You get to pay less and you help the planet. Thank you for being with us on this journey. Think positive and be responsible. See you soon…
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