Why buy in Used Clothing stores?

Vintage clothing has never been so fashionable as in recent years. Now, is it just a passing thing? Or is there something else? If you don’t usually buy in used clothing stores, chances are that sooner or later you will and for more than one reason. If, on the contrary, second-hand clothes are already in your comfort zone, then you will have greater satisfaction.

And it is that, in addition to economic comfort, there is an even greater saving and for the benefit of all: the environment. This is where the concept of circular fashion comes in, a proposal that bases its foundations on the ability to reproduce without affecting the resources of our planet.

To understand the principle on which circular fashion is based, we must first change our methodology of thinking about the life of a single garment and discover the importance of buying in used clothing stores. The first step that is taken in a circular way is to choose non-polluting and at the same time recyclable compounds, that is, natural and non-synthetic fabrics.

By doing so, we instantly avoid the danger of spilling microplastics that are produced during product processing and also in our homes due to washing. We must say, on the other hand, that the recycling of natural fibers is not so simple, since when mixed with other fibers (example: 80% cotton 20% polyester) it becomes difficult, or at least very expensive, to be able to recycle them.

In this post we will delve into this topic.

When is Fashion Circular?

The fashion is circular when choosing unblended materials, since at the end of the garment’s life the chances are high that it won’t be recycled, but burned in incinerators to produce energy.

Synthetic fibers are more easily recycled, in fact, today it is easy to find recycled polyester and microfiber garments on the market. Then there are some fibers derived from the recycling of plastic materials, such as Econyl and Newlife, two excellent examples of circular fashion.

Although they are synthetic materials and, therefore, counterproductive for the environment, they are produced in a sustainable way by recycling fishing nets, carpets, industrial waste and plastic bottles from selective collection. Buying in used clothing stores implies following the principles of circular fashion.

Reasons to buy in used clothing stores

Extending the life of garments, keeping them in circulation for as long as possible, thanks also to the second-hand market, is one of the pillars of vintage fashion and circular clothing.

Now, what is circular fashion? It is the opposite of the current linear economy. Where, in practice, a product is created to be consumed and then disposed of as waste.

Shopping in used clothing stores assumes that each product is conceived and designed to last as long as possible. Which, for example, allows you to change it, resell it, share it and repair it. In addition, the product must be made with recyclable materials, usable for new productions, or to return to nature if they are biodegradable materials.

Let’s see other reasons to shop at used clothing stores:

Less contamination

The fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world, second only to the oil industry. Among the most critical aspects it is good to remember how many raw materials are used to produce new clothes, how much energy, water and non-renewable resources are used. Not to mention, of course, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and harmful emissions.

Millions of workers who often come into contact with these harmful substances are exploited and without job security. Added to these problems are other resources for transportation, sale and, finally, disposal for an unsustainable volume of contamination.

Reduce the purchase of Fast Fashion clothes

Fashion and pollution are intimately related issues, and one of the big problems of current fashion that is destroying the planet is Fast Fashion. This implies the production of millions of garments every day, consuming natural resources, energy and exploiting cheap labor.

We are talking about a phenomenon that began in the 1980s and exploded in the 2000s. It consists of the increasing production of clothing at bargain prices by large fashion groups and has also changed the way of shopping. Before, only a few long-lasting garments were bought, now the trend is to buy new clothes for each season.

Fast Fashion is an unsustainable business model from an ethical, environmental and human point of view, so we must pay more and more attention to how we contribute to all of this.

New life to garments in good condition

One of the big problems with the Fast Fashion business model is that it induces people to buy much more clothes than they really need, in a vicious cycle of producing clothes that no one will wear enough and wasting our land.

Buying in used clothing stores allows you to give new life to garments still in good condition that for some reason someone no longer wears. How many clothes do we have in the closet that is only gathering dust, waiting for the moment that will never come to wear it? It is much better to resell them to these businesses and make room for something we really like.

Conclusions

With used clothes, playing with your own style becomes easier, fun and affordable. No longer do you have to spend $500 on a long plaid coat, only to find out you never wear it spending years in the closet.

When buying in used clothing stores, on the other hand, you can find a used long plaid coat for €20, and you may fall in love with it, but you may also not like it over time. But if you have kept it in good condition, wash it, iron it, and take it back to the store to resell it. This is the best way to reuse quality materials and give value to objects that we do not use.

What is now a boring old garment for us will be something new and exciting for some. Buying used clothing, after all, is choosing circular and environmentally sustainable fashion. In fact, second-hand goods do not affect the consumption of resources needed to produce new items.