Secondhand September, Clothing Swaps, and Consumer Power!
This month, we are excited to partner with Parker and Scott for a costume swap coming up on Sept 28th. Because of our own history setting up and enjoying a good clothing swap, our September blogs are going to be ALL ABOUT our love for secondhand finds and why we fully believe in the magic of thrifting.
This week’s blog will address Secondhand September, a movement that aims to make buying secondhand clothes second nature for us consumers. Heads up!--There will be some upsetting statistics about climate change, so if you have really bad climate anxiety, feel free to skip this post (although we do have some good reminders not to put too much pressure on yourself, plus helpful tips on secondhand shopping!).
If you’ve never heard of Secondhand September, it’s much like any month-long challenge: for thirty days, you pledge to
-abstain from buying new clothes altogether OR
-shop for new clothes from secondhand stores only
This challenge started when Oxfam, a UK company with a mission to tackle poverty across the world, decided it was time to “take a stance against the impact of fast fashion by shopping secondhand”. (Oxfam) As for why Oxfam would want to take such a stance to combat the fashion industry, it’s important to understand some unfortunate statistics.
Here’s the nitty-gritty:
-According to ethicalfutures.co.uk, we create 92 million tonnes (which we’ve roughly calculated to mean—woof—203 trillion pounds) of textile waste.
-The fashion industry is responsible for around 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions.
*HOWEVER! Another website, fashionrevolution.org, notes that “the 2022 Fashion Transparency Index found that just 15% of brands disclose data on the quantity of products made annually,” which means:
There’s no way to even understand the full scale of the problem that the fashion industry creates.
Now, we’re really skimming the surface on this one. While we agree textile waste and current cycles of consumption are completely unsustainable, there are researchers and articles better-equipped to inform us than our organizing blog. So we are not going to focus on the big, the bad, and the ugly today. We’re going to turn to the things we CAN do!
Back to Secondhand September…
Buying clothing (or anything!) secondhand is one of the easiest ways to reduce textile waste. There is a huge supply of second-hand clothing, and when you buy clothing secondhand, you give something that could have ended up as textile waste another chance. If you’re familiar with thrifting and shopping secondhand stores already, then you are probably well aware of the thrill that comes from finding something you love for a better price.
Many of us are shopping for the small adrenaline rush and little dopamine that happens when we get something new. Although secondhand does not mean new, the items are new to us and our brains probably don’t care much about the difference. Plus, you can’t underestimate the thrill of the scavenger hunt.
Let’s review all the pros (and even the cons) of secondhand shopping:
Pros:
You save perfectly wearable items from going to waste
Use your consumer power to support secondhand shopping instead of the (new) fashion industry
There’s a thrill in finding cool stuff that has a past life
Cons:
Sometimes you won’t be able to find something (the nature of a scavenger hunt, really)
Some items may need a little TLC to help them carry on
You may feel a little overwhelmed…after all, secondhand stores can feel a bit like navigating a black hole
With that, we have some tips and tricks for your future thrifting endeavors.
(Especially if you feel like participating in Secondhand September for the month or for however long you want!)
Know your style and what works.
We know, this is a HUGE can of worms. Most of us have other priorities when it comes to our wardrobe.
Try to give it a quick brainstorm and come up with a list of your top three favorite outfits, why you love them, and any details about the shape/fit/color of the clothes to give you a compass
Only shop when you actually need new clothes. (Yes, we all get frustrated and tired of our wardrobes.)
Before you shop the world, shop your wardrobe!
This is where a good decluttering session can come in handy.
Is anything in your closet no longer YOU? What went missing that you are so happy you found/remembered having?
Fortify for your shopping experience
Try to eat or bring some snacks and water with you so you can keep your stamina up.
Have a list to keep you focused.
Avoid feelings of being rushed to make sounder decisions.
When you shop, have clear items in mind that you are looking for.
Do you feel like your leggings are never clean and you’re always looking for an extra pair?
Perhaps add “new leggings” to your shopping list and embark with a goal.
Now, instead of shopping the whole secondhand store of your choice, you can focus on leggings alone.
(Bonus if you can further pare down which leggings you’d like by color and feel!)
Try things on and give them a true test in the fitting room.
Try on clothes, look at them from different angles.
Take some selfies to see how they translate in a photo.
Sit down on the fitting room bench or do some light movement to test the comfortability of the garment.
Check for tears, stains, or anything that could indicate the item is not the best quality.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Ask a friend or store associate to give you an opinion or help you find something.
If you can’t decide on your try-ons, see if the store can hold anything for you to come back before the end of the day.
Hopefully, these strategies for buying secondhand help you on your next shopping adventure. We know that it’s not always easy to shop (hello there, too-many-choices), but when we are able to leverage our consumer power to buy things from the ever-growing pile of excess, it does make a difference. Climate anxiety is real and stressful, and it’s easy to feel like we’re carrying a burden alone, but we aren’t. We can keep doing our small parts and choose to support the things that will help the world become healthier again someday.
Stuck on tip #1? Hire a professional organizer and reduce the noise in your closet to really determine your favorite outfits. Make an appointment through our booking site, or schedule a free, 20-min phone consultation.
Don’t forget to come say hi at Parker and Scott’s free costume swap this Sept 28th. For more details, please see their event here.
This blog uses these sites for references about Secondhand September and the fashion industry:
https://www.fashionrevolution.org/how-to-take-part-in-secondhand-september/
https://www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/second-hand-september/
