Did you know that donating or selling one item of your used clothing can cut your carbon emissions by 27.1 pounds (12.3 kg)? So says CarbonRally.com. Think of the inroads you can make in your overall energy use/resources impact if you gave up shopping for new clothes, and switched to vintage. Too much to wrap your head around? Commit to buying some of your wardrobe previously owned.
By shopping at consignment or thrift stores, you avoid the considerable resources needed to produce any new item you would have bought--fabric, pesticides for cotton, dyes, manufacturing processes, shipping, packaging and more. We all know how much stuff we buy and have just sitting in our closets. It doesn't make much (common) sense.
Bonus: you can save significant cash at thrift and consignment stores, especially for high-end brands.
The biggest challenge might be locating a new favorite place to shop--Goodwill or a fancier consignment spot. More and more resale shops are taking space in big shopping malls and other retail complexes. That should help.
Expect to spend a bit more time--and even frequent check-ins--to find that perfect something. Getting to know the store owner and/or employees can help. If you're looking for something specific, they can help keep an eye out for you, and might even give you a call when something you're looking for comes in.
Online clothing exchange services can be great, especially for kids' clothes. Check out www.ThredUp.com to learn more.
