Second Hand September: Thrift Shopping 101

The Fashion industry is among the biggest pollutants on the planet Coupled with our mindless consumption of fast fashion it has been causing alarming damage to the environment According to the United Nations the industry is responsible for 10 percent of the total annual global carbon emissions and 20 percent of wastewater worldwide 87 percent of the total fibre used ends up in a landfill Second Hand September is a pledge which asks consumers to buy only secondhand goods for a month The social media challenge aims to make us rethink about compulsive shopping and explore secondhand clothing for the sake of the planetFashion industry produces 20 of global wastewater and the grand majority of your closet is doomed to pollute the earth Itrsquos not too late to stop this trend ActNow be fashionably sustainable amp register your ClimateAction on zerowaste fashion u00f0u009fu0091u0089 httpstcocH20vlRbgO pictwittercomKdtUE6h0Qymdash UN Geneva UNGeneva August 7 2019What is Thrift ShoppingThrift Shopping involves buying preloved secondhand items Thrift stores have a carefully curated list of unique items you can pick from Thrift shopping from stores flea markets and garage sales has been extremely popular in western countries where shoppers are constantly on the lookout for quirky and vintage clothes at an affordable price Thrift shopping also enables us to get rid of our clothes which we do not want anymore but are in perfect condition to be used by someone else prolonging the life of each garment Cleansing Closets in Mumbai The trend is gaining traction in Mumbai as well We spoke to sisters Alfiya and Sana who run Bombay Closet Cleanse a Mumbaibased thrift store ldquoWhen Alfiya and I were cleaning out our closets we realised how many clothes we had been hoarding some that were barely worn Most of them couldnrsquot be donated to NGOs dresses miniskirts etc so we decided to have a fun preloved clothing charity sale We received a fantastic response and were able to raise enough funds to organise a medical camp for women and children for Salvation Army That first event was monumental for us we realised that there was a real need for a healthier way to discard clothing as well as consume mindfully In a year since then we have been able to hold multiple charity sales collaborate with celebrities and hold seven successful popup sales all because of the love and support of our wholesome thrift communityrdquoView this post on InstagramA post shared by Bombay Closet Cleanse bombayclosetcleanse onSep 1 2020 at 541am PDTChanging Consumption during CovidThe lockdown has made us take a long hard look at our own wardrobes what do we do with the excess clothes we have Do we really need to buy expensive new clothes While a trip to the mall seems farfetched now online shopping has kept shoppers afloat Sana explainsrdquo We have seen a huge shift in the way Mumbaikars are shopping in lockdown With increasing awareness about climate change and the emergence of online hip thrift stores preloved fashion is trending amongst the younger generation and has led to people embracing the joy of thrifting in the cityrdquoHow does Thrift Shopping helpWhen you shop secondhand you are saving an item of clothing from ending up in a landfill by prolonging the life of each garment Every time you buy a secondhand item not only do you save money but also cut down the demand Never before have we had access to such an extensive network of sustainable shopping alternatives You can spot some of the rarest oneofakind pieces that can set your wardrobe apart It is possible to shop and be stylish without being an environmental hazard Sana told us they have tied up with local NGOs for the excess clothes they end up with ldquoOur thrift store mindfully segregates clothing according to the needs of the NGOs so we send them only what they need and not burden them with excess clothing that is of no use to themldquoView this post on InstagramA post shared by Bombay Closet Cleanse bombayclosetcleanse onAug 20 2020 at 216am PDTTips on Thrift ShoppingSana shares with us top tips on thrift shoppingAsk yourself do I really need this Its tempting to indulge in thrift shopping because of the great deals and variety even if itrsquos secondhand However it is important to avoid hoarding Perhaps clean and declutter your closet before starting your thrifting adventure Buy less choose well Invest in versatile durable pieces that will last you for years those that will stand the test of time and trends Statement Pieces Invest in a few statementstyling thrift pieces so you can mix and match with clothes you already own For example a corset belt a pair of chunky earrings patterned scarves etc Do your Research Is the item listed really vintage A quick search on the internet can help you assess the true value and worth of the pieces on sale Limit Yourself Remember we are trying to cut the demand and consume mindfully Set a limit for the number of pieces you can thrift in a year and stick to itCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news