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Christmas Shopping at My Sister’s Closet
Lifestyle gurus and bloggers preach that, this holiday season, thrifting is hot, and resale shops are cool again (especially those whose proceeds fund a non-profit’s mission, like Bloom for Women)! But while we're thrilled to find the perfect pre-loved ensemble for our own closet, it’s especially exciting to be able to check off our Christmas list with trendy finds from My Sister’s Closet for our family and friends!
Our savvy shoppers already know that buying resale is better for their wallets, but studies show that it’s also chock full of redeeming social value and better for our planet! "The planet is drowning in excess stuff," says Lauren Bravo, 34, the London-based author of "How to Break Up With Fast Fashion". "It feels more sustainable to buy things that are already out there in the world than adding to the demand for more, more, more."
Not convinced? Bravo cites four big benefits of secondhand gifts, plus a few tips and ideas to help you thrift a gift this holiday season:
It’s better for the environment.
Tossed fashion and furniture generates an incredible amount of waste. In 2018 alone, nearly 21 million tons of textile waste, furniture and furnishings ended up in landfills, according to the most recent data published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Bravo adds that landfills are “super emitters” of the powerful greenhouse gas, methane.
Buying a sweatshirt, jacket, vase, side table or virtually any other thrifted item keeps it from landing in a heap at the dump or on some foreign shore (where much of our donated clothing lands). Most secondhand purchases are made locally, too, so you avoid many of the environmental impacts that go along with packaging and shipping items.
Secondhand is more budget-friendly.
You may have noticed, but everything is more expensive right now — inflation hit a 40-year high in September. Even with rising prices, buying secondhand is almost always less expensive than buying new. Bravo said shopping thrift shops allows her to gift higher-quality items. “I can afford to buy pricier brands for people if I get things secondhand," she said. "And, frankly, they're often still brand new in their box."
You support small businesses.
Resale shops and thrift stores are almost always small businesses — and they're counting on your support this holiday season. Money spent at small local shops typically stays in the community, supporting jobs and other businesses.
Thrifted gifts have a history.
There can be something special about a piece of jewelry, handbag or article of clothing previously owned by someone else. Often, people come into My Sister’s Closet with clothing or other donations and make it a point to tell us that they want someone else to enjoy the item as much as they have.
So, support your community and your planet – come on in and Christmas shop at My Sister’s Closet!
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