Why Thrift?

Thrifting is becoming more popular, with charity shops in the UK gaining a growth by 27.2% in 2021 (Statista, 2021). But what is the reasoning for this and why should you join in on this growing trend? 

This blog post will delve into the benefits of thrifting at local charity shops to both the consumer and local charities .

What are the benefits? 

Sustainability

One of reasons to thrift at your local charity shop is to have a more sustainable life style. Fashion production alone contributes up to 10% of humanity's carbon emissions, with 85% of all textiles ending up in the dump each year (World Economic Forum, 2020). Choosing to shop second hand is an easy way to reduce your carbon foot print, by stopping clothes ending up in a landfill and reducing your contribution to production of new goods. 🌏🪴

Contributing to Charity 

The money that is made from the items you purchase while thrifting in a charity shop goes directly to charity. 

Here is a list of some examples as to what your money goes toward when thrifting in a local charity shop;

Cancer Research - From every £1 donated to cancer research 80p goes to beating cancer while the other 20% is saved for raising funds in the future. By choosing to shop from their stores you would be helping fund vital programmes that are making discoveries on new possible treatments, in addition to funding clinical trials (Cancer Research, 2016). To find out more visit their website where they break down their spending and list ways in which you can make a difference. 🧪 

👉 Cancer Research UK

Oxfam - From every £1 Oxfam delegates 81p to emergency, development and campaign work with the rest being allocated to running costs and future investment. To break down the 81p even further, 39p is given to humanitarian emergency, 40p to long-term development projects and the final 2p to campaigning and advocacy work. This means by shopping here you are directly helping fund; life saving humanitarian assistance, reducing poverty in over 87 countries and campaigns to stop climate change. That's what I call money well spent, to learn more about Oxfam's efforts make sure to check out their website. 🚑📣

👉Oxfam GB | leading UK charity fighting global poverty

These are just a few of the charity shops in N.I. that you can show your support to! 

Budget Friendly

The current cost of living crisis and inflation is making it harder to find items you want, for the price you are willing to pay. Thrifting offers a lower cost alternative, providing items such as; clothing, accessories and home décor at a discounted rate. This means you can still buy what you want without being out of pocket. 💸💰

Unique Pieces

The inventory of charity shops often consists of a mix of styles, eras, and brands. This creates a higher likelihood of finding one-of-a-kind pieces, vintage clothing, or a brand that you have never heard of before. In comparison retail stores mimic trending styles and sell them at a mass level, by thrifting you can find clothes that will help you stand out from the crowd. 👒👜

Why do you thrift? Why do you want to start thrifting? 

Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts, make sure to keep updated for future posts. 

Happy thrifting!😎