By Anna Baker, Staff Writer and Sustainable Santa
Do you enjoy thrifting? If so, you should consider having a thrifting Christmas. Thrifting makes presents more personal and unique, as most things at thrift stores aren’t found in mainstream stores anymore.
Not only could this be a fun challenge, but it also has many consumer benefits. Namely, saving money. This is crucial as costs for pretty much any gift you want to get have gone up all around the world making holidays a particularly stressful time for many people. Thrifting is a good way to save money and still get the important people in your life thoughtful gifts. There are many thrift stores that all offer different types of clothes, from used to brand new – even though items found at thrift stores might seem unwanted, they still have life left in them. We should take advantage of this and reuse what is already made.
While consumer benefits can be very clear, the ethical benefits are far beyond what meets the eye. Thrifting has a major sustainable side that addresses many issues, most of all being the fact that less clothing ends up in landfills, leading to less pollution from the products that the clothes are made of.
You want to keep clothes out of landfills because many clothes can be made of synthetic materials that take a long time to break down and decompose and can release toxic chemicals into the environment. These chemicals will eventually settle in the soil and then contaminate plants, which will then be consumed by animals, who will eventually be eaten by us humans. So, not only do these synthetic materials lead to the pollution of the air and soil, but they can eventually end up in the human body. Overall, thrifting is something simple and fun that can be done to better the environment and ourselves… literally.
Stores like Goodwill, Karm, and Amvets are all good options when it comes to traditional thrifting. They accept donations, so they’re able to sell a variety of items at a very low price. At stores like these, you can shop for virtually anything, but never know what you’ll find. The houseware sections are typically filled with dishes, glassware, small appliances, and a variety of decorations, and there are also larger items for sale, such as furniture, bikes, and artwork. Not to mention, plenty of media, games, and toys, making it easy to find the perfect gift for anyone and, of course, there are several aisles of clothing for everyone in the family. If you have a child in your life that you’re Christmas shopping for, thrift stores are especially a great place to look, since a majority of the clothes and toys are gently used due to children growing so fast.
Some people don’t want to sort through all the items to find the gems they’re searching for and want something a bit more convenient. If you’re looking for clothes, shoes, or accessories, a happy medium between going to Goodwill and the mall is found in stores like Planet Xchange and Plato’s Closet. The inventory at these types of stores could be viewed as a step up from traditional thrifting since the clothes are picked through beforehand; you won’t find dirty, overworn, or stained items at retailers like these. What you will find when shopping here are items from many name-brands for only a fraction of the retail price.
These stores are typically a tiny bit more expensive than a traditional thrift store since the items are individually bought in. One way to ensure you stay on budget is by selling your unwanted clothing to these types of stores to get either cash or store credit. This way, you’re making both money and room in your closet. The process is simple and generally stress-free for the seller: all you have to do is drop off one to two bags of your washed items, then the buyers will look through them and see what would be sellable in their store. When they’re done, they’ll send you a text to retrieve your leftover items and choose between the cash or store credit offer. Planet Xchange, in particular, will even donate your leftover items on your behalf to Greater Goods, a bin store that sells by the pound and donates part of its proceeds to cancer research.
Overall, thrifting is a great way to give the loved ones in your life thoughtful gifts without breaking the bank. Not only is it good for your wallet, but it’s good for the environment as well. This holiday season, keep your mind open to some second-hand shopping – you might just find the perfect gift at the perfect price!
