All my life I’ve loved the thrill of the chase. There’s something about hunting for op shop gold that gets my heart rate up. You just never know what lovely little surprises are just around the corner. 99% of my wardrobe is pre-loved and when people quiz me on my get up I often catch myself saying ‘never ever pay retail’.
Here’s 5 good reasons why:
DO IT FOR THE PLANET – #ICYMI 6000 kilograms of textiles goes to landfill every 10 minutes in Australia (check out the ABC’s War on Waste program to learn more) and if everyone lived the way we do in Australia we’d need more than three planets! The clothing industry is the second biggest polluter in the world and generates 11 million tonnes of waste each year. The good news is op shops help to divert 300,000 tonnes of textiles from landfill each year so snap up some style secondhand and recycle baby!
DO IT FOR CHARITY – If you’ve been looking for justification for going on a spending spree, you’ve got it! You never have to feel bad about making a purchase at an op shop, because you’re basically making a donation to charity! All the thrift shops do wonderful things for those in our own backyard and beyond and they need all the support they can get, so treat yo-self! #noregrets
DO IT FOR THE WORKERS – Buy second hand and you’ll help drive down consumer demand for cheap sweatshop goods. Slavery is still alive and well and currently affects more than 30 million people. Employees work between 10 to 18 hours a day and a seven-day working week is becoming the norm during the peak season, especially in China. The majority of workers in the global fashion industry, rarely earn more than two dollars a day.
DO IT FOR YOUR WALLET – Who doesn’t loves a sneaky retail therapy session?! Get a new ensemble for a fraction of the cost at your local op shop and don’t lose sleep over your credit card statements. Currently Australians have over $32 billion owing on their plastic.
DO IT FOR YOUR WARDROBE – In the words of Fleetwood Mac…’go your own way’. Create your own aesthetic with unique thrifted pieces and set your style apart on the street. Even though everyone seems to be twinning at the moment, I like knowing no one else will be wearing my ensemble.
And if you want to learn more about sustainable style, check out the links below…
Something to watch: True Cost of Fashion #netflixandchill
Something to read: Wardrobe Crisis by Clare Press
Something to download: Good on You App
Something to podcast: War on Waste + Conscious Chatter
