One of the greatest reasons to buy your clothes from charity stores is that it helps to improve the lives of others. Whether it's a local non-profit organization in Hanover, PA or an international one such as Oxfam, charities rely on every penny to make ends meet. The money you spend on a few T-shirts or a dress from the local goodwill store can go towards feeding someone, giving a child an education or giving an animal a home.
One of the great things about goodwill stores is that the clothes you find here are cheap. This is of course an important consideration if you're on a budget and cannot afford to buy from the more upmarket stores. If you're unemployed, you may even visit one of these stores and find a perfect outfit that can help you nail your next job interview.
By buying second-hand clothes, you do your bit not to perpetuate a huge problem in the world. Most cheap and even medium-priced clothes are made in poor countries. Often the reason why these clothes can be made so cheaply is that workers are paid what amounts to slave wages. They don't have any rights and they often work in terrible, unsafe conditions. Child labor is common in the garment industry too.
Another good reason to buy used clothes is that it helps preserve the environment. The manufacturing process for clothes uses vast amounts of precious resources like water. Even just growing cotton causes environmental damage but by recycling clothes, you help reduce the use of natural resources.
From a purely sartorial point of view, it also makes sense to shop at goodwill stores. Instead of finding hundreds of pieces that all look the same, you'll get to choose from pieces that are completely unique. Many of them are of exceptional quality and it's not unheard of to find something almost brand new made by a top designer.
Once you start shopping for clothes at charity stores, you'll quickly see how it encourages you to be creative. While many pieces can be worn straight off the shelf, others need a bit of a makeover. With some basic sewing supplies you can turn the ugliest, most unfashionable piece into something spectacular. For instance, cut off the puffy sleeves of an Eighties dress or cut the hemline a little shorter. Cut up several T-shirts and sew the different pieces back together for a colorful new top. The possibilities are endless and there may even be some business opportunities in upcycling old clothes.
Almost every city and large town has at least one charity store. You only need to look in the local listings or online. These days you'll even find several of these stores online so you can browse from the comfort of your living room.
About the Author:
No comments:
Post a Comment