Why you should be shopping at charity shops.

I have to admit that I never use to shop in charity shops as I had a stereotypical and judgemental view that all the clothes would be in bad condition and would not be able to live up to the fast-fashion retailers, however since volunteering at one, I realise that these stereotypical views are so inaccurate and false, as you can find some real gems in charity shops, for prices so cheap. Now I am pretty much obsessed with charity shops. The excitement of not knowing what you will be able to find is much more fun and you also come home with things you did not know you needed but nonetheless, always manage to find a place for it. Here are a few reasons why you should leave those high street retailers behind and build up your wardrobe from the charity shops.

1) It's giving back to those who need it most

The whole purpose of charity is to give to those who need it most. All different charity shops are raising money for different causes but despite which one you end up buying something in, you are helping people more than you think you are! So, not only do you get to go home with some new items for the wardrobe, but you're giving money to those in need. Although you may only be buying something that's £5, charity shops all together raise around £300 Million per year. A little really does go a long way.

2) Its environmentally friendly

Oxfam, a UK poverty charity, claims that 11 million garments end up in landfills every single week! By shopping from a charity shop you are helping to slow down this process. Unfortunately, we can not stop it, but ultimately we can help save the planet by doing so. Around 60% of synthetic fabrics are made from fossil fuels and 85% of that material will end up in landfills, where it will not decay or decompose. Once again by shopping at charity shops, we put less demand on the fast fashion industry meaning they make less money and stop making as many clothes. On top of this, textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water globally and it takes around 2,000 gallons of water to make a pair of jeans, and every second the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned. The facts are horrifying, and unfortunately, this process will not stop overnight. Charity shopping means that the worlds water consumption is reduced and helps to save the environment.

If you are interested in finding out how sustainable and environmentally friendly brands are there is a great app called 'Good on you'. You can search up a brand and it rates it on how environmentally friendly it is. It also tells you how to shop sustainably and live an eco-friendly lifestyle.

3) It's affordable

The prices of charity shop clothes are so affordable for everyone. You no longer have to beat yourself up for spending £20 on one item because at a charity shop you could get about 5 or 6. Now, almost half my wardrobe is from charity shops, because it is something that I can actually afford. I was tired of going into shops and seeing something that I really like, only to turn the label over and see £50 planted across the back; a price I could not justify. With prices being so cheap in charity shops, it means that you can bag up items you would not normally pick up for yourself because even if it does not look great, you haven't blown your bank account.

4. There is something for everyone

I'm not kidding when I say this because I can guarantee that you will be able to find at least one item that you like from a charity shop. Also, a bonus of charity shops is that they are not just restricted to clothing. Charity shops host a whole range of items, from shoes and jewellery to books and bags and everything in between, you are bound to find something you love. Last week I managed to get 5 books from the charity shop (I wasn't planning to get any books) for £5! What's not to love.

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Some of my favourite clothing items are from a charity shop, so I really recommend that you go and check out what you can find in your local ones. It's also important to donate to charity shops. If you haven't worn something in a while, you should definitely consider donating it to a charity shop.

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22nd April 2021

thomasjlblog