Think Thrifting is Sustainable? // not when you shop second-hand with a fast fashion mindset...
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ต.ค. 2024
- if you choose second-hand fashion for the environment, listen to this...
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Lately I have been buying local thrifted, vintage fabric and paying a local seamstress to create my clothes. It's slow, because I only buy fabric that catches my heart, and then I wait for the clothing idea for that fabric, and then she sews it for me. It's much cheaper than retail, keeps old fabric out of the landfill, supports a nonprofit and a small business, and gives me clothes from my own brain - not some fast fashion chain. Between that and learning to crochet this year, I am my own trend😂
That sounds amazing. 😍
tha'ts awesome!
I started buying their fabric too and learning to make my own dresses because its waaay cheaper than anything anyone will sell you thats supposed to be a "dress". Its been time consuming and complex but after a year i now don't have to worry nearly as much about affording clothes as I used to because i know how to make what i need when i need it without the searching in stores and online that leads to impulse buying only to have a hundred problems with the thing I bought and need another one endlessly searching for the perfect thing
Woah, that's amazing ❤ I couldn't afford it atm, but definitely a great idea and something to keep in mind for later.
Okay you’re officially the biggest slow fashion badass, you dropped this 👑
I totally agree with you. Thank you so much! You are confirming what I have always kind of assumed. Overconsumption is not better just because it's thrifted overconsumption.
It’s still undeniably better than buying new.
That for sure 🙂
@@CampingforCool41I also say that in the video, but as the report suggests buying pre loved can’t stand alone, doing other things like maintaining clothes, air drying them and rewearing (aka buying less) is really where we make the biggest impact - but when we do need something, second hand is the best option ✨
Any overconsumption keeps the wheel turning 🥲
It's so ironic, whenever I watch one of your videos the add that always plays afterwards is for Temu. I DO NOT WANT TO SHOP LIKE A BILLIONAIRE.
On the topic of the video though, I have been thinking similarly recently.
I have started going to clothing swaps and at the last one I went to I got a really cool pair of jeans. I love them and they fit and everything but they are very different to what I usually wear and they don't really go with anything in my wardrobe. I know there is no way I would have bought them in a shop but because they were free it felt like less of a commitment or something.
Always with the temu ad, the bane of my existence 🥲💀
And we also don't want billionaires to shop like billionaires...
Beyond sustainability, second-hand shopping for the most part is economical. This past week, I thrifted a new sweater with tags for $12.49. A bit high for a second hand store, but it's a 70 F/ 21C - a Saks Fifth Avenue brand. When would you ever find me in that store? NEVER! The sweater was on sale for $69.99, but was originally $194. Someone bought the sweater on sale, then did not like it. So off to the second-hand it goes. Pretty wasteful, but not for me. I got a beautiful cocoa colored cable sweater new with tags for less than $20. This is why I go thrifting. 😉
The steals I have found in thrift stores over the years, immaculate 🤌 today I do have to remind myself twice that just because it’s a rare find doesn’t mean I need it though, otherwise I would live like a hoarder 😂
@@Gittemary Ha ha... well, I do live a bit like a hoarder in this respect. This is one reason why I need to quit my thrift store shopping 'hobby'. I've been trying to declutter for years and years and years but keep recluttering and second hand clothes are my Kryptonite .. I'm having a No Buy month this month and maybe I'll continue it for longer if it helps. Thanks for this video!
For me everything changed when I've started sewing clothes for myself. It changed my mindestens from "this is cute, let's try it, I have no idea if I need it" to "let's think about what I need and try to create/thrift it". I just get so bummed out when I put a lot of work into something and it never gets worn...
I didn’t quite comprehend how much I was shopping second hand clothing with this fast fashion mindset until this year. I started a challenge, where I could only buy 5 clothing items a year. At first it felt impossible, because I used to buy that same five items in one month.
Now almost 10 months in, I have only bought two things new and gotten the rest 3 items second hand. And not to lie -I have received a couple of hand me downs from friends&family.
My total amount of new or second hand new clothing for this year is 7.
It’s a little over 5 items but I’d still call it a good score!
And I would absolutely recommend everyone to try this challenge 😄
I would still call that a win! Another report, I mentioned it in the last fashion-related video, showed that if everyone stuck to 5 new pieces of clothes every year we could reach out climate goals (didn’t count 2nd and swaps) 💚💚
Wow well done, I'm going to try this. Thank you
Progress over perfection!
I agree. I think there’s a much larger conversation to be had, talking about nuances of all the different parts of thrifting-where are you buying from, what sort of area do you live in, etc. I’ve landed at not being worried about the volume from a consumerism standpoint, but instead, committing to each item that I buy for the rest of its life (I’m not going to sell, donate, or throw away). When I’m done with clothes, they become rags, quilts, or pillow stuffing. This naturally limits my shopping, since I know the amount of fabric I have stored in my closet, and encourages quality-since I’m thinking about a future project with the fabric, I don’t want to buy something that will wear out or fall apart aggressively.
I'm doing this too! So great to see others w this mindset
I think that is a brilliant mindset, it automatically reduces consumption (at least if one often buys clothes and resells them quickly again)
I found it very interesting what you said about the fact that most of what we donate or take to second hand shops ends up in landfill. I follow some slow fashion influencers, especially American and Canadian, who talk a lot about decluttering or the 'one in one out' system, and they don't seem to understand the fact that decluttering only leads to more pollution and more consumption. I hope you can talk more about this topic or point me to other videos in which you address the issue
The “one in one out” is really the opposite of conscious consumption in my opinion 🥲 I recommend the video on the second hand hierarchy that I did, it’s really eye opening, and linked in the description 👀
Decluttering definitely contributes to more waste.
If you don't replace it, it doesn't lead to more consumption though.
You have to be mindful about what you buy - that it is necessary and will last long.
Not always easy as companies are mostly making products now, that easily break down and can't be/ don't make sense to be repaired.
If you are in a position to spend more money on higher quality, then do it.
Spend money on jeans without elastics, shoes that are not only plastic,...
You get a feel for real quality soon, though it will be like finding a needle in a haystack 🙈🤗
It starts with clothes, shoes, backpacks, household appliances, electronics, furniture...
I really appreciate this perspective, especially because I have used thrifting and online thrifting platforms like Depop to experiment with my closet. It never really crossed my mind that I could still be supporting a fast fashion mentality because the stakes seemed low, and I could just re-donate a piece if I didn’t like it anymore. I saw a stat recently that individuals add like 60 new items to their closet every year, and I realized that I do the same thing but I just thrift my clothes instead. I have re-donated a lot of what I have purchased, so I never fixed the hyper-consumerist mentality. Making sure you love and wear what you own and purchase really is so much more sustainable. More intentional thrifts saves money too.
I can sooo relate to the shift in my mindset, I get why experimenting of thrifted clothes can be tempting (and one can also still do that more intentionally) but buying to keep permanently is the way forward 💚🫶
I totally agree. I've been guilty of buying those clothes that were amazing if I was a different person. I also see friends thrifting super often and also needing to declutter often. This year I've not gone thrifting since February! Mainly because I have been on the edge of broke this year at different times. One of them she also identifies her style for home, maximalist, like I think I've heard you call your home style. Doing good by speaking out against the fash fashion, trend cycle mindset❤
I agree that one doesn't need that many clothes or to change the wardrobe so often but I'm struggling to understand how not buying them from the thrift stores helps the environment if the stores still ship their extra/leftover stock to 3rd world countries, etc. 🤔
Watch my video on the second hand hierarchy, it’s linked in the description - the fact that we ship all our unwanted clothes to countries in Africa has nothing to do with sustainability, on the contrary 😞🥲
I feel like an argument could be made on the normalisation of overconsumption at a large scale, just like some people say that wearing faux fur or thriftted real fur normalizes wearing real fur. But at an individual level, beyond the carbon footprint of shipping things (which is already reduced by the massive use of drop off/pickup points, at least in metropolitan areas), I have a hard time seeing how buying second hand increases my carbon footprint. Is the argument that the person i buy the item from now has money to put into buying new items? Is one of our goals not a circular economy where things get passed around to who has the best use for the thing/need it more for that time? There are so many clothes in circulation we could stop buying new altogether and still have enough stuff to clothe ourselves for decades if not more, and changing sizes and lifestyles means that were going to have to exchange items? And if mending and hang drying clothes has the biggest impact but you do those things already, thrifting doesn't become unimportant? For example, i like wearing *fast fashion brand* tshirts. They do not last long and get holes easily. I buy them second hand and mend them, so that their lifespan is much longer than they would be than in the average consumer's hands. But I buy them knowing they'll last a couple years at best. I'm consuming with a throw away mindset, then, right? At some point holes will appear faster than i can fix because all the fabric is worn down. But somehow I still feel like this is the least wasteful option? If i didn't buy that shirt, someone else would throw it away all the sooner? Should I instead buy new and long lasting tshirts? Idk i think it's interesting to challenge commonly accepted knowledge, like that thrifting is universally good, but not controversy for controversy's sake, and I'm having a hard time seeing why trifting is bad beyond the fact that it exists in a culture where people buy lots of new things.
I agree. I think overfilled thrift stores are a symptom of a society that vastly overconsumes... if we consumed less as a society, there just wouldn't be as much clothing to buy second hand, and many of us low waste people would actually have to buy brand new clothing. But since the issue of clothing abundance already exists, how is keeping an item in my cupboard having a worse impact than sending it to landfill? A lot of my purchases are "fill a bag for $5" from a tip shop... from there, they are bagged up for use as industrial rags... sometimes they are brand new, there is just too much and it doesn't sell... I really can't see how rescuing a quality item at the very end of it's life, when it's destruction is imminent, is a bad thing - I actually buy bags of them to give them away and keep them circulating and out of landfill. I can see the issue more when it comes to Depop because of all of the shipping emissions and higher cash exchange - but I think that the burden of responsibility is misplaced if it is up to low waste people not to buy from others so they learn not to overconsume. The fact is that people's style and size changes, so where garments are made well and last many years a mechanism for their exchange or alteration needs to exist.
Happy to be challenged on that. There's a difference between supporting the second hand market and supporting the generation of new garments. I'd be stoked if everyone decided they loved their clothes and wanted to keep them for their full life, and the thrift stores in my area closed. Oversupplied thrift stores are the symptom, not the problem.
I am still figuring this out, but if you are mending it and wearing it until it gives out, that's not a fast-fashion thrift store mindset. If you are just wearing something once or a few times and replacing your wardrobe often, new or thrifted, that's a fast fashion mindset. Also, buying bags of items for charitable giving doesn't seem like fast fashion. I think you two are being responsible.
The point is thrifting is not worse than new, the point is that also thrifting has a carbon footprint. If you treat thrifting as some people shop fast fashion, that it could be just as polluting. Like, if I buy a bunch of trends second hand and the trend fades...I want to sell it...I just repeat the cycle of consumption and wastefull discarding
All my childchood I wore only hand-me-downs (chariety clothes from Western European countries from church and things my sisters grown out off) and trifted clothes. In my college years and early adulthood (2004-2013) I had overconsuption phase (first time in my life I could afford "branded" clothes. What is very funny for me right then any shop in shopping centre (even like H&M seemed louxurious). As I growned up and noticed e.g. my mothers shirt from 60-ties are still in good condition and clothes I bought in fast fashion last short time I slowly went into concious consumerism and later minimalism (not extreme). I noticed I don't need so much stuff and with clothing I put one simple rule thah changed everything: limit of maximum 12 new items of clothing per year (including underwear and socks). If items are bought second hand or trifted its better. That makes my shoping so easy! The risk of buying sth unnecessary is so low right now.
I love the idea of limiting the number of clothes into your space in 1 year, I will have to try that. brilliant idea.
I like the idea of 12 items! Someone earlier said 5 items but maybe that is not including underwear and socks. I'm definitely gonna try limiting - just need to figure out how many :D
it depends what you have (for instance I realized I don't have to buy autumn/winter shoes or coats for the next 10 years: 6 pair of shoes and 8 jackets is more than enough and how fast you things go beyond "werable" state. Repairing (especially painting leather shoes yourself with special paint for leather what is easier than paining your nails) and cost €3-4 is a game changer. Worn out leather shoes can be refreshed this way and used almost until you have holes in shoe sole.
Not sure that I am fully on board here, although I can see the point... just think the detail needs more discussion :) Once upon a time I had literally a hundred thrifted shirts in my wardrobe... I transferred my overconsumption from normal stores to thrift stores, and at thrift stores my dollar went a lot further! These days I buy far fewer second hand clothing pieces (I have a soft limit of 12 pieces per year, with the exception of fill a bag for $5 discount items from my tip shop, which are end of life before they're destroyed by becoming rags). Actually the thing that changed my thinking wasn't really the environmental cost of thrifting, but the fact that having an overfilled wardrobe for me means that I value my items less and they bring me less joy. A crammed wardrobe isn't a positive thing for me.
Colour sorting my wardrobe really helps in saying no to certain second hand clothing pieces - I can easily see what I like, I know if a new piece is a copy of something I already have, and the gaps are easier to see (which are very rare... I am currently looking for a button up long sleeve shirt in a very rare and particular shade of green, it's been months and I've never found it).
Here in Finland many second hand and thrift stores have made the decision not to accept clothes from Temu, Shein, and the likes. I think that this is a good decision that I respect.
I think this is great, however what do the people tryna to donate end up doing with those clothes since they cant donate it?
I am not a fashionista in anyway, but because I am plus size I find it harder to find clothes in this secondhand store for myself so I felt really guilty about this, but I’ve always picked out pieces that would last me over 10 years.They get rotated and washed by hand so they last longer. This was helpful to me at least so thank you. I have tried to lower my waist in every other way so this was the one of two things I needed to find a solution.
I hear many people struggle with this ❤️ the truth is reducing consumption to what’s necessary, taking good care of your clothes, like repairing and not tumble drying has a massive positive impact - doing that is very effective in reducing emissions ✨
I have adopted a more minimalist mindset and try to only buy what I need, it also has to be good quality, I have also started repairing my clothes again.
Uh oh, as a thrifter, the video title is scaring me! But I'm always open to learning how to do better!
That’s the spirit 🫶✨
I buy secondhand and modify those garments to fit my body and style, then I wear those garment until they fall apart... at which point they become pillow stuffing. Anything I get a the goodwill bins has to be cleaned and repaired before wearing so I've no problem with upcycling them.
Thankyou for this!
I have recently forced myself to unfollow a couple of youtubers that have the constant "thrift haul" and then immediate "closet cleanout" video structure. It took so long for me to realise that supporting those videos is still supporting overconsumption. Thrifting and then donating it back defeats the whole point! Especially as such a low percentage actually makes it back to the store. We still need to love what we bring it into our homes, whether it's secondhand or not!
I love giving the cheap items that haven’t worked for me away to family or friends who want them. …or even a free community center, where I can get free clothing also ❤
I remember our parish priest saying, " desire enters through the eyes". When I worked in retail, a truism was that no one really was " just looking" and our job was to find the thing that they were looking for. All this to say, don't go into the store, don't click on that link, unless you really need something. Instead of going shopping because you are bored, maybe find someplace else to go. Where I live many museums have free entry on Saturday for locals.
Yes, finding a different hobby rather than shopping .. it's a pretty sad hobby really. I don't think many of us will reach the end of our lives and think 'how I wish I'd spent more time shopping'...
I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT FRRR overconsumption is the problem and I frequently see people thrift and then donate at an alarming rate and it's Not much better it's also why I've been hesitant to consume content from thrifted fashion influencers bc it encourages this and idk how to escape the consumerism based content when basically everything is an ad nowadays
I remember looking at Thread up ans thinking of the scene feom Monsters Inc. with all the moving around of the doors in a huge warehouse, then sending them all over the world. I remember thinking, how is this model not almost just as impactful as fast fashion. Good points, all. And a lot to consider. We must be more mindful. ❤
I'm gonna be honest i think i do have a problem with secondhand local marketplaces like fb marketplace bc in my mind it's so much better but it's not necessarily clothes that i buy but I'd love a video on the impact of these marketplaces because to me it seems alright but i haven't done much research and i feel better giving back to my community/neighbors and giving life to old furniture and home goods etc.
You didn’t explain how this is even possible. What are you even saying the impact is? If I buy something from a thrift store, wear it to a party, then donate it back to that thrift store, how did that create waste??? A new item was not created.
As it happens, I shop fairly rarely (don’t enjoy it) but still
I appreciate the way you bravely discuss the difficult topics. I think '10 year clothing' is a good idea. Buy it, make it, intending to wear it for at least 10 years. Let manufacturers know that you're not interested in buying/thrifting something that doesn't last that long. Great topic.
I’ve often wondered what the carbon footprint of a thrifted item actually is, and compared to a new item. Friends and I have clothing swaps and I’ve been to a few community swaps too.also, I’ve started keeping track of the number of wears each garment I own gets. I’m aiming for 100.😊
This is probably the hardest hill humanity is going to have to climb, because it's not a simple swap out of "Do X instead of Y and it's much better for the planet". It requires thoughtful restructuring of people's entire lifestyles, and toward Less convenience at that. That's a hard ask for most western people I'd imagine.
But the more we all talk about it, the more it becomes a normal way of thinking. And there are still loads of people out there who need to hear it and will have ears open enough to listen - so thank you again for making these videos!
Its really hard going thrifting and not buying things too quickly. I still want to go and find things to keep and wear forever, but when there you're still bombarded with lots of clothes that are cheap and just 'kinda nice'. Its a struggle. I try to focus on a small list of things that I really want to look for, which doesn't really work for thrifting because its so random what you find but at least I'm not buying...
For getting rid of my clothes I now almost always donate it to clothing swaps instead. I often don't even get an item back from the swap just because I don't want more 😅Throwing clothes in the secondhand bin just feels like I'm throwing it on a pile, somewhere on Earth, but with a swap I know it at least goes directly to someone else who wants it and without shipping.
fantastic video!!! I think another part of the solution to slowing down the rate of consumption is slowing down the process of acquiring. One can do this by buying local (not by mail), by walking to thrift stores (not driving to all the hidden rural shops just to specifically thrift), walking also limits the amount you can bring home (compared to a trunk load by car). By slowing down our process of acquiring helps us be more mindful of what we are acquiring and reduces the carbon footprint of acquiring.
I never go into thrift stores, even though we have several around us. The reason is that I don't want to be tempted to buy something that I don't need. I already have too much in my house and don't need any more!
I love you! I hate thrifting. I don`t have a local thrift shop, so I have to drive about 20 min to an absolut overcroweded place and I have problems to find what I need. Yes, need. I have limited space in my closet. One in, one out is the only way to go. I buy my cloth new and wear them to death. They might have not the best quality or last very long, but I buy what fits and I really like and wear.
It makes more sense to buy new locally if you truly need an item, than burn more energy to shop thrifted. This is not a religion. We need to focus on what reduces our consumption, like you are doing.
I think this sentiment of wearing your clothes needs to be more normalized and think a way to make your lifestyle with clothing even more sustainable is to upcycle or sell your old garments so that it guarantees it a longer lifespan
@@ktnguyen4412 When I am done with my stuff, there is nothing to sell left. My newest clothes are the ones I wear outside the house, than I have some for my regular, not so dirty housework and the oldest are for the garden or painting. And since I had to visit some funerals this year, I have an extra set for this. You could call it an uniform.
Unfortunately I am not good at upcycling fabric. I made some makeup pads out of old towels, if that counts? Other things I failed.
This Secondhand September - since 90% of my wardrobe is secondhand - I decided to do a no-buy instead.
My awareness of my overconsumption hit me in the new year when I did No Buy January then the 75 Hard Style Challenge followed by lil' declutter. Why was I buying so many things I wasn't in love with or didn't serve a purpose?
Because it was cheaper? Because it was low risk? Because of the thrill of the hunt? Because I was bored or because it's my hobby or pastime? An amalgamation of all the above?
Whatever the reasons, I knew I needed to take a break, evaluate and reenter the space as a conscious consumer 🤦🏾♀️ which is hilarious as I thought I already was one!
I think no buys need to become trendier tbh bc it adds a level of novelty and challenge to be anti capitalist and anti consumerist which is so much more sustainable
@@ktnguyen4412 I do wish fashionista influencers did more 'styling what I have' and 'using what I have to style _such and such_ trend' instead of constantly buying new [crap].
It's one of my biggest bugbear's.
Thank you for the video, I definitely agree with what you said, and have recognized it in myself several times, particularly in thrifting something that maybe isn’t the perfect fit but is interesting or close enough that I decide to get it. I try to keep long-term at the forefront of my mind when shopping (it’s how I was raised, always thinking “Will I wear this for a long time?” and I’m very grateful for that) but have definitely slipped up when finding more unique thrift finds that I don’t need but because they’re secondhand and affordable, I let myself get them. Sometimes it’s worked out and become the sort of garment I’ve always wanted but could never dream of getting, but sometimes I have been left with something that I want to love, but either the size or fit is just off or, like you said, if I were a different person maybe I would love it lol. (Sounds strange to say but the feeling is real.)
I do have a question: I recently thrifted a leather jacket (my first ever leather item, I’ve been on the hunt for a secondhand leather jacket for many months now). How do you recommend cleaning it? I always prefer cleaning secondhand items before using them, but leather is an arena I have zero experience in. I’ve searched articles online and found ideas, but wanted to ask here as well. I found a cleaner’s that can do leather but it’s a little expensive 😅
Sorry, but I think buying second hand is always better than new. You aren’t encouraging manufacturers to make more. And I’ve several second hand items that will stay with me the rest of their useful life. They will be depilled and mended. The mattress protector cover I have was made cheaply has been mended 4 times and I may be using old dress shirts to further mend it as the material becomes thinner. I bought it new and this seems to be the way things are now. New regulations need to be made where clothing, appliances and machinery must last for a certain period of time and if it doesn’t, the manufacturer should have to repair it free of charge and pay shipping if necessary to and from. It may make things cost more money, but it will slow the rate of manufacture and encourage people to keep what they have until it’s truly worn out. And the manufacturer has to fix it within 5 business days of it being reported and they have to maintain a staff or customer service personnel to have a reasonable wait time of 10 minutes. That cost will make them build things better so they don’t have so many people calling requiring so many customer service agents.
I used to live very minimalist until I started shopping second hand... It's very easy to fall into the trap of overconsumption when the stuff you buy is cheaper but still feels sustainable. I assume most of the points you make in this video apply to all kind of consumption, not only to clothes and fashion.
This argument is very similar to the appeal to futility standpoint used against vegans and vegetarians. It depends on an ideal of consumption (buy once, wear it forever) which does not reflects current purchasing culture. This may encourage people to return to detrimental consumer habits if they think secondhand is pointless.
I have been watching videos on clothing consumption during ww1 and 2, and a lot was rationed. This is probably a backlash from that now that there are no more “restrictions.” We need to find a happy medium!!!
This video was so timely, I really needed to hear this message! I've definitely bought a lot of things secondhand that I've regretted and then ended up selling on, and I've decided to really be more mindful of what I buy so that this happens less frequently. I've been buying only secondhand for 5 years now, but yesterday I happened to be wearing an outfit made up of old fast fashion pieces I've had for years, and I wondered if that wasn't more sustainable than buying secondhand items I wore once or twice (or never!) and then re-sold. Buying first-hand makes it easier to ensure that the item I buy actually fits me, is my style, etc, and I have the option of returning if I realise it's not right once I get home (my local secondhand shops don't offer refunds, and platforms like Depop and Vinted of course don't allow returns) I wouldn't feel right going back to buying from fast fashion chains, but I'm realising it might be ok to buy from smaller local brands that may not be 100% perfect, but would ensure I bought something I would wear for years to come. This topic is definitely nuanced, and I'm so glad to see it being discussed! Thank you for making this video :)
I did go through a period of thinking that I had to buy secondhand, even though I live in a very small town and the options are poor. Some of the items I wore to death but others I did not love at all so rarely wore. (And rarely redonated for some reason). Now I do a mix of buying a very small number of good quality, sustainable pieces with thrifted ordinary pieces. These I wear until they either don't fit or they fall to pieces which means I can wear what I love for a ridiculously long time before turning them into cleaning rags and finally biodegradable rubbish. And I've stopped feeling guilty all the time.
I need your advice: so my mom buys a shit ton of clothes, I have had many a conversation with her about the impact, but it doesnt really land. Now when she discards of clothes I feel responsible for reselling and rewearing as many of them as i can but ultimately, they are not my style and make me feel torn about discarding them anyways. How do I open up this cycle?
I've definitely caught myself being a little bit too excited about Vinted when I started using it, and buying a thing or two that I really did not need (or that didn't end up fitting me like I hoped it would). It is definitely important to constantly rethink how we consume, even (or perhaps especially) when we already put some effort into being ethical and sustainable.
another thing I think is scary about sites like Vinted is that now we as consumers have the opputinity to buy 2nd hand clothing from other countries. Theres no filter that will only show you clothing from Denmark etc.
Buying thrifted can be a step towards less consumption for someone who is over consuming, as long as they keep thinking about your actions and moves toward using less.
Tak for de gode argumenter som jeg vil have i baghovedet næste gang jeg skal købe tøj :-)
The massive thrifting hauls might be a reselling issue. I get kind of turned off when people do this. They take clothes to resell at higher prices that others might actually need more
I have been preaching this for twenty years now: Do NOT donate your clothes to a thrift shop. Do NOT put them into a “charity container “. Because nearly all of it will end up somewhere it definitely does not belong. Rather, hand on what is wearable to people you know or who individually need it (like when there is a local collection for a specific destination, by the church or private person who know exactly who will need it). The stuff that nobody wanted after some time, or that is simply too worn out, please just put it in the rubbish bin. Yes, that feels bad. So buy more wisely. Those “charity collections “ just greenwash overconsumption in a very misleading way.
Not necessarily. The charity shop I volunteer at sends unsaleable clothing to be made into industrial rags.
@@anneevans4108 I am sure that happens in some cases - after all, those "painter´s carpets" etc. must come from somewhere. But in most cases people just assume that what is left over will be recycled, but it does not happen.
I battle with my low waste and frugality. I'm listening to you while doing a food audit.
I didn't really think of the topic of thrifting this way. Thank you for helping me to see it in a different direction. I need to use this change in mindset while thrifting.
And this is why I tend to minimalism more than to maximalism 😊💛🌱
I don't have the same idea. Even if you don't use it It Will not end up in Atacama desert, and you don't create new waste
Get where you're coming from... I don't entirely agree with this either (would probably have taken an hour to do a video I did fully agree with, with all of the nuance in this area added in!). But the idea that by buying second-hand we're 'not creating new waste' is often incorrect. Shipping creates waste. The running of a thrift store creates waste (so just making garments available second hand has a footprint). Transport creates lots of emissions (in shipping items, getting them to thrift stores, collecting them from thrift stores). I do agree with the idea in this video that we need to purchase mindfully and not see the second hand market as an easy out for our purchasing decisions.
@@racheljames9187 new stuff creates that waste as well, even the food you eat. For her It could be easy because she goes to a thrifstore and finds everything she needs, but people like me needs that shipping to find a second hand option. And after the effort made you hear that it is worst? In Spain we call this rizar el rizo. A perfect option doesn't exist and in my opinion this video is just going to make people do less.
Recently learnt about a thrift store in Finland where you book a place to sell/week that banned ultra fast fashion. Do you have that in DK? That people running thrift stores try to show there’s no place for garments that won’t last in them.
Another question, how about socks? I feel that when socks and undies start to fall apart they shred more micro plastic, and even if mending them would be an option when the fibres fall apart they will shred and break more in every wash. Also, items that are tricky to find second hand. Been taking out socks of rotation and wondering if I should repair, replace or make do with less.
I haven’t looked very far into this because I’ve just started toying with the idea but I think knitting one’s own socks/buying someone else’s handmade socks might be a good alternative? I personally mend my socks until the sensory issues catch up to me and then I keep them in a box to look back on my mending progress but I got a few pairs of wool socks (not handmade but very comfy) last year and they’ve worn surprisingly well and I think with the right techniques and a few mends here and there they’ll last a good long time! I also occasionally find wool socks at the thrift store, so that could be another option as well!
This is why I don't like this community sometimes, I cant even shop second hand without feeling bad.
@@papercuts500 I think the discussion is important... We need to reflect on the way we consume, and it's good to do our best to reduce our impact, and learn new things that help us to think critically in order to do that 🙂 I'm an avid thrifter and don't feel bad... I actually appreciate a discussion that challenges me and helps me to consolidate my thinking on a topic, even if I am not 100% in agreement with the initial post 😋
Talking about which *products* are sustainable is asking the wrong question. A product is not sustainable, a lifestyle is. We should ask, 'is this a sustainable way to do things?' in stead of 'is this a sustainable product?'
No matter how 'environmentally friendly' a product is, in the end, what matters is how much you consume. And as an extension, what kind of business practises do you support, and what kind of community and coulture are you part of?
Here are some suggestions:
- Plan your wardrobe and keep inventory of your needs. Repurpose or buy to fill a need.
- Donate or give away good quality clothes that you hate wearing or don't fit you
- Utilize repair services for electronics, shoes, clothes etc.
- Learn how to make useful items yourself
- Buy from co-ops and small organic farms, artists, artisans etc.
- Buy 'not perfect conditon' fruits and second-hand clothes (those are more likely to be thrown out in the end because most people opt for the best condition ones)
I think thrifting often inculcates and rewards a slower consumption mindset. BECAUSE we feel the thrill of that treasure in the racks, we also care for it with more consideration, and keep it around longer. I don't think it's 100%, but I have definitely noticed myself treasuring that special thrift, and seen it in friends. I also feel like the high consumption pattern is still more attributable to the consumer culture at large than thrifting itself.
thank you very much, I was wondering about my shopping habits about it too, always buying second hand, and feeding it back into the system, and doing it all over again felt a lot like overconsumption.
I don’t really shop second hand clothes. Apart from special formal wear (weddings etc) we wear new clothes until they are too shabby to wear out. Then the tag gets cut off or “de-commissioned “ and instead of hanging in the wardrobe, it’s folded into drawer for wearing around the yard. After being very loved, really old and stained, it’s cut up for rags - removing buttons/zips to re-use. We don’t own a dryer so things last longer.
Like I always say, overconsumption is overconsumption. We need to have a mindset of buying only what we really need. Great video Gittemarie! ❤❤❤
Yes! Hoarding can happen with thrift shopping just like regular retail. We need to buy less in general. I've been very sad at my recent trips to thrift stores, so much garbage clothing now. 😢
This aligns with conclusions I came to a couple of years ago, when I was a fee years into my sustainability journey- the issue I'm currently having is that my weight is fluctuating enormously, and though reshaping is possible, seam allowances don't always allow letting out to fit me. I feel guilty buying a few secondhand items that fit my new body when I have a wardrobe of clothes that I adore, but that are too small :(
Maybe a hot take - even buying fast fashion brands second hand is supporting the brand. Ie. If I buy a shein dress from Vinted, that person I have bought from may likely go ahead and spend the money I gave them on more shein items.
If you have something already, don’t buy more of that item until that item is no longer in working order, even then try to fix the item before disposing of it /recycling it.
I've helped a few family members and friends clean out their house and clothes after someone has passed. You cannot take anything with you and no one is getting out of this life alive. Its made me more consious about being a better consumer and what I do with things after I'm finished with them. I still shop local thrift stores and garage sales, but I'm trying to be more consious.
Very good video, I'm still running a local non profit thrift store and a lot of people just buy anything because it is cheaper. Later we get it redonated to us to sell again. Buying second hand is still the way to go but again it should be when you actually need something.
Yes any over consumption is still over consumption. It hurts the wallet and the environment. It’s getting harder to find good quality products at my local thrift store though. The hard part is not shifting into the cheap clothes when they are so plentiful. The hard part is waiting for that good solid piece. It requires a lot of patience. Worth it though.
Thanks as always for an insightful video! When I first got into thrifting I was for sure going about it in a fast fashion way. I hadn't really bought into the craze with actual fast fashion before but since it was second hand it suddenly felt okay to but lots clothes to experiment with style and such that i only kind of liked. and with a lot of it i ended up donating it without really wearing it. overall i have a difficult time finding clothes that actually fit/ work for me and for now i have kind of given up up on it all. so now i try to buy quality items that will last me from brand that seems Less Bad and mending what i have (with the occasional, rare good thrift find) I'm also going to try and take up sowing this fall to hopefully be able to thrift clothes/fabrcis and make what im need myself. overall, my goal is just to settle and feel happy with what i have :)
I feel like it needs to be emphasized that there's a difference between voting with your money through not buying new clothing (which is great!), and consuming sustainably. Just because an item was bought second hand doesn't mean you are free of responsibility over it and what happens after you're done with it.
I find it to be really difficult to get rid of old things responsibly and sustainably. It's so easy to buy second hand and a lot harder to get rid of things that honestly nobody wants. This realization has led to me reducing my second hand purchases because I only buy things I am sure I want, need and will use.
We need to change our Consumerist mind set. Shopping should not be a recreation. Trading over consuming new production for over consuming thrift items is like giving up heroin for another less dangerous addiction - better but still a problem. What scares me is what I’ve heard about people buying cheap new items to sell on thrift websites sites.
I think that a huge driving factor is that people try to dress to keep up with trends. In reality clothes need to be practical first. Dressing for personal style as well as our individual lifestyles is so much better than just being seen in a trendy outfit.
I 100% agree with using what you have. I decided I wanted to buy some items second hand and so the first thing I did was go through my closet and see it there was anything I actually needed before going to thrift. When I thought I needed 10 items, turned out I only needed 2 ❤ #consciousconsumption
Nothing compares with the thrift shops in DK. ❤
Especially where these online, second-hand shops have some users that I suspect are consistently buying new and reselling in order to sustain their small business.
This is how we lived in the past we had only a few things and we ware items until they fell apart we sewed our items until they fell apart we had nothing like today fashion this was with everything we owned even a car table chairs today it’s to much people have to have up to date everything the past was the cleanest sorry even the hospitals
This is brillant🙏 great reminder for us out there buying second hand
I love thrifting ut it has gotten very bad and I can't find things I need. .all the clothes are shein and fashion nova
In the end consuming less is still the most sustainable:)
Such an important concept to share. Thank you.
I have been listening to the somewhat new spill the sustainabili-tea podcast and they recently did an episode collab with Oxfam where they claimed none of their donated clothes go to landfill. Some of it is recycled through recyling partners, which we all know is not ideal but better than landfill/dumping. But yeah? I dont know how accurate that is, or if some research would debunk, but if this is true?? I would defo be inclined to gravitate more towards shopping in oxfam stores when I am thrifting/charity shopping. Hope their are other thrifts/charities doing similar work!!
Also this video was sooo needed. Grateful my favourite TH-camr is talking about this despite their personal love for thrifting. This is one of my biggest climate actions for the year, beating the consumerrrr in me.
Quite an eye opener. Thank you.
commenting for engagement
It always bothered me that people sell their clothes on depop or other places so they can go out and buy more. Is it adding to the problem?
Some people change sizes.
I like this
I live in Australia op shops are very expensive. Wealthy people are shopping at op shops that were once cheap for those who couldn’t afford clothes. It’s now cheaper to buy new. Problem is it last only a few months. So then you have to buy more.
For myself I wear a size 20AU (metabolic issues) it’s rare to find 2nd hand clothes in that size. They are either brought cheap and fall apart after a few wears (not just unsustainable for resources and planet but also for the hip pocket.) or you pay a fortune and wear it out.
I have a bit of a mix of all 3 due to availability and affordability. Long term the new more expensive items not always but usually last much longer. These are the ones you will find 2nd. hand not always in the best condition. You also need to buy for fit length and shape. More so when your plus size. Nothing worse than In your size crotch hanging at the knees despite being 5’11” 180cm! Or half mast on limbs and body but that’s my experience in general trying to buy clothes for as long as I can remember.
I do a system of good clothes very good clothes clothes that make you feel good and I don’t give a damn if they get wrecked clothes. The last are usually getting close for the rags pile ( currently nearly my whole winter wardrobe).
After a period of time of continuous wear for the other categories if I haven’t warn it in a year and it’s in good condition it will go to charity op shop or 2nd hand.
We all make mistakes when buying clothes. The difference is what we choose to do with it.
And if you’re wondering what size is the most wasteful and most plentiful it’s usually size 8-12 with 16+au size being harder to get. Size 18+ is rare to find.
It’s also hard finding quality in these sizes.
The thing I find most annoying is getting natural fibres and cottons in those sizes they stop at size 16. I have sensitive skin and autism and I tear the crap (deeply) out of my skin from itch and feeling like it’s on fire with ants. Tags just feel like a spider. What the hell happened to natural breathable fibres and soft tags? We live in a bloody hot climate for Fs sake!
I have also fallen into the trap of overconsuming clothing items simply because they were a "good price". I usually shop via online thrift stores, but more often than not, the items I receive don't reflect the quality detailed in the online description, or the sizing is way off. This leads to a revolving door of thrifting and a lot of shipping costs/waste. I try to be a conscious consumer and only purchase things to fill gaps in my wardrobe, but it is a slippery slope. Thank you for shedding light on this topic!
Love feeling validated when I continue to wear my well loved clothes despite being around friends and neighbors who wear the latest fashion. 🫶🏽