This pop-up can help you promote sustainable fashion and raise funds for a cause

It all started on one fine day in 2012 when two compulsive shoppers decided to springclean their wardrobes only to realise that they had a pile of clothes and accessories theyd never worn even once They thought of donating the items but soon realised the limited scope of the idea for the sartorial choices of the beneficiaries didnt necessarily align with theirs They brainstormed further and then came up with the concept of a thrift shop to sell these items at throwaway prices to promote sustainable shopping and raise funds for causes they felt for in the processMy cousin Radhika Dhawan is a fashion consultant and several of her designer friends gave away garments for the thrift shop Other friends joined in and soon as the word spread we had clothes accessories home decor and books in fabulous condition coming in from all quarters says Maya Bhogilal of the duo behind Back Alleys Thrift Shop a 100 per cent notforprofit initiative that has helped fund a school in the Malvani district with furniture educational kits and books and painting of the classrooms among other causesEntering its sixth year the initiative has tied up with the Indian chapter of Fashion Revolution a global campaign that was born as a response to the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster in Dhaka where over 1100 garment factory workers were killed in a building collapse and works for a fairer safer and more transparent fashion industryChildren at the Malvani school that funds from a previous popup helped refurbishThrift shopping is the ultimate fashion treasure hunt By doing so you are contributing to a waste less reuse more lifestyle concept Its fun and you can make a day of it My advice is to start early before the good stuff goes and try things on before you buy them so that you are not careless with your buys We dont want people to have more dead clothes in their wardrobes We want them to love what they buy and wear and rewear it again and again says Suki DusanjLenz country head Fashion Revolution IndiaShoppers can expect to find garments and accessories in designer labels swimwear baby clothes footwear home decor and a range of books all within a price range of Rs 100 and Rs 2000 We have kept the prices low so we end up selling almost everything As they say One mans trash is another mans treasure So while you may be getting rid of what you dont want you are doing so responsibly by making sure it doesnt end up in a landfill says BhogilalMaya BhogilalThe proceeds from this edition of the thrift shop will go towards two causes mdash zilla parishad schools anganwadi primary secondary in the Palghar area and the Animal Adoption Crusaders AAC whose objective is to find as many homes as possible for homeless dogs and catsOver the years we have realised that every cause needs sustained support So we continue contributing to it through a series of popups until an objective is met So while this is our first collaboration with the schools and AAC we will continue to raise funds for them through our upcoming editions too Bhogilal sums upON April 7 and 8 11 am to 10 pmAT Mahalaxmi Race CourseLOG ON TO facebookcomBackAlley101Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates