Why Thrifting is Essential to The Zero Waste Movement

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Some people love to thrift and others not so much !

My sister in law is amazing at finding stylish clothes in any thrift store ... Me not so much !

I’m GREAT at thrifting for my kids and house supplies ... But when it comes to my wardrobe I get so overwhelmed !

Thrifting is something I am really trying to focus on because it is so important to my zero waste journey .

How are thrifting and zero waste related ?

First off let’s talk about :

FAST FASHION!

Fast fashion is when a mass amount of inexpensive clothes are created in response to a fashion trend .

This is unsustainable and our planet cannot keep up .

The biggest issue with fast fashion is that it’s fast . Stores are producing clothes as fast as they can to keep up with trends . The prices of these clothes are low but they are sacrificing on quality .

Typically these clothes are made from synthetic and unsustainable materials .

Most of these clothes won’t last and will end up in a landfill within a few years.

Stores like Forever 21 , Urban Planet, and H&M are a huge part of the fast fashion movement !

FASHION and our PLANET

The fashion industry is killing our planet !

Landfills are overflowing with textile waste yet we keep making more .

The chemicals and dyes in our clothes are polluting our earth by leaching chemicals into the ground and water.

The excessive production of clothing is leading to a huge amount of CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions . It takes 2,700 Litres of water to create 1 cotton t shirt and 7,600 Litres of water to create 1 pair of jeans ! Think about that the next time you need a new pair of pants.

There is nothing wrong with buying new occasionally but when you do it’s so important to be aware of the impacts on our planet and do research on the company you are buying from.

Buying good quality and ethically made clothing DOES make a difference .

As much I love to support eco friendly clothing stores and brands nothing is better for the environment than thrifting !

By thrifting you are slowing down the demand for new items .

Shopping used is 100% ZERO WASTE !

Thrifting doesn’t just apply to clothing you can buy used furniture , household accessories , water bottles , fabrics, and more!

All of our to go cups and water bottles came from the thrift store.

There is so much amazing stuff out there... You just need to look!

Maybe it’s time we all start thrifting more .It’s an EASY step towards a healthy earth.

To me that’s worth it !