Ally Phillips

An estimated 92 million tons of clothing end up in landfills each year. That’s an estimated loss of 500 billion dollars worldwide, where clothing is sitting wasted in piles, waiting to be incinerated. This plethora of textile and clothing waste accounts for almost 6% of our total municipal solid waste, which is pushing our planet further and further into an environmental crisis, not just in the U.S. but globally. 

But recently, an emerging trend has actually been proven to be helping this problem. Thrifting has become a widely popular trend. Adolescents and adults of all ages are engaging in the world of second-hand. And while thrifting has been very useful to those in need, millions of people worldwide are now thrifiting for the fun of it. It’s an all-day experience- finding the perfect stores, trying on clothes with friends, and getting the best deals. Many will spend hours at the thrift bins, sifting through loads of clothing. 

Not only is thrifting a fun, rewarding experience, but it’s also significantly helping our planet. By buying second-hand, you are reducing the amount of clothing wasted in landfills. This also works when contributing your own clothing to thrift joints- instead of dumping your clothes in the trash, think about the long-lasting impact they could have on our earth. Donating to thrift stores and buying second-hand items conserves resources by not having to produce as many materials to create clothes.

Next time you are out shopping, consider consignment or secondhand shopping. It’s an effective way to help reduce the waste on our planet, and it will definitely be a fun experience.