Fashion and Environment

Have you always wanted to look good and have tons of things and still be a pro environmentalist? If so, then thrifting is your answer. As we go through this piece, we will try to tackle all the questions that might come to you.

The first, what is thrifting?

A basic definition would be to buy products mostly clothes, shoes, bags, utensils and other reusable products that have been already used before and had been recruited by the seller at some point. They are basically hand-me-down products that are passed from one person to another. Therefore, proving someone’s waste is someone else’s treasure.

Where can you thrift?

There are tons of markets in the country where you get brilliant and good quality thrifted products. Sarojini Nagar, lajpat Nagar and Janpath to name a few in Delhi. Bandra, Church gate, Fashion Street are some in Mumbai, and similar local markets around the city you live in. There are multiple pop up Flea markets and garage sales that may happen near you.

Also some of the really popular e-commerce websites that you check out are eBay, Poshmark, Asos marketplace, Refashioner, to name a few.

Now, the next and rather important part

Why should you thrift?

Here are a few points listed for you:

1. You save money: thrifting isn’t just environment friendly, it is also a pocket friendly alternative for you. The products because they are hand-me-down, are cheaper compared to the ones you buy in stores.
2. You don’t leave your Carbon Footprint:  Fashion brands have time again been criticised for how inconsiderate they are about environment. Fashion industries are one of the biggest contributors to the pollution. Then there is the transportation and production which adds to the already growing pollution. So when you decide to buy already used products you are taking up the Reuse ‘R’ of the environment which is also helping you with the other ‘R’, Reduce.
3. Less Landfill waste:  When you start using hand-me-down products a lot of which would have made to the dumpster fills otherwise, it results in less landfill waste.
4. Decrease in pollution:  Whether it’s land, water, air or chemical pollution, when you thrift you are helping environment by polluting less. The basic economics of demand and supply works here, you demand less from the brand, they produce less for lesser supply. Lesser supply means less chemical pollution. This results in lesser transportation that results in less air pollution and finally less waste dumped by the industry in water and landfill sites.

• Finally, A way to look really chic. Best parts about thrifted products are their uniqueness. Fashion brands produce every design in a stock so there is never one of anything and you will for sure walk down to see someone wearing the same shoe like you or sometimes a complete outfit. Thrifted products are vintage and hard to find, so if you lucky you might find pieces that are super rare and of great value in the vintage fashion market. It makes you use your creativity and fashion imaginations, and you can always DIY too.
• THRIFT AWAY!
• • By Amisha Sharan