A unique behind-the-scenes look at a thrift store in Canada has shone a light on the mildly depressing reality of secondhand shopping.
What's In Store Fort McMurray (@whatsinstoreymm), a pre-loved clothing shop in Alberta, Canada, posted a video on TikTok showing the back room of the establishment piled high with bags upon bags of clothes. While this might seem like an ideal scenario for a thrift shop, with plenty of stock to add to rails, it does demonstrate quite how big our addiction to fashion is.
"We all need to open our eyes and do something about fast fashion," the store captioned a video of the situation. "We need to stop buying."
@whatsinstoreymm 🌍🛍️ Importance of Community Thrift Stores and Donations! 🛍️🌍 #SustainableLiving #ThriftStoreFinds #ReduceReuseRecycle We all need to open our eyes and do something about #fastfashion we need to #stopbuying we see this on #netflix and we feel distant but this is our own community a small city in #alberta #canada we have only been here for 2 years, and these are sorted donations ready to come to the store and go on the floor.. where did this go before us? To the landfill! We may get donations for free, but we have to hire staff to go through the actual garbage we get too. We hire within our local communities and we give freely whenever it is asked of us in crisis but also to organizations who need these items. We also have a great volunteer option for sports and charities within Fort McMurray where you volunteer 250 hours to sort these donations and we pay your organization $5000! This is no small change, we want to make an impact in our communities and also we want our communities to see how much of an impact fast fashion and excess is putting out into our futures #shoplocalcanada #shopwithintention I want you to talk about the incredible impact that community thrift stores and donations are having on our planet. 🌎💚 Community thrift stores play a vital role in promoting sustainable living and reducing our carbon footprint. These stores accept donations of gently used items, giving them a second life and preventing them from ending up in landfills. ♻️🙌 Not only does this help to reduce waste, but it also contributes to the circular economy, where items are reused and repurposed instead of being discarded. By shopping at thrift stores, we can contribute to a more sustainable future. When we purchase second-hand items, we reduce the demand for new production, which in turn reduces the consumption of natural resources and the emissions generated during manufacturing. 💪🌿 Plus, thrift stores often offer unique and one-of-a-kind finds that can add personality and style to our wardrobes and homes! But it doesn't stop there! Community thrift stores also play a crucial role in supporting local communities. Many thrift stores are run by non-profit organizations, and the proceeds from sales are often used to fund community programs and services. This means that every purchase we make at a thrift store goes towards supporting important causes and improving the lives of others. 💕🤝 So, let's do our part to support community thrift stores and donations! Start by decluttering your closets and donating items that you no longer need. Remember, one person's trash can be another person's treasure! 🧺✨ And when you're in need of something new, consider checking out your local thrift store before buying brand new. Together, we can make a positive impact on our planet and our communities. 🌍🌟 #ThriftStoreLove #ShopSustainably #GiveBack #CommunityImpact #SustainableFashion #SecondHandFirst #DonateAndMakeADifference ♬ Way Down We Go - Kaleo
Indeed, the idea of fast fashion is to make us buy more clothes. Items are produced quickly and cheaply to keep up with recent trends, and as soon as one item has flown off shelves, the next trend will populate them soon enough.
The rate of production is a huge drain on resources, with lots of water and energy required to create fabrics and then turn them into garments. According to Earth.org, it takes around 700 gallons of water to make one cotton T-shirt, while 2,000 gallons are needed for a single pair of jeans.
Fast fashion also utilizes cheap plastic fibers in a lot of items that can shed microplastics that enter water sources after a wash cycle. Microplastics have been found in nearly all major organs in the human body and have been linked to cancer, respiratory illness, mental degeneration, and fertility and pregnancy issues.
It's lucky if clothes from fast-fashion outlets make their way to thrift stores at all, as many are created with planned obsolescence in mind — or intentionally crafted to break or fall apart in a short space of time. If they do begin to disintegrate, these clothes will likely head to landfills, where they will contribute to the production of planet-warming gas methane.
Earth.org observed that of the 100 billion garments produced every year worldwide, 101 million tons head to landfills.
About thrifting, What's In Store wrote: "Not only does this help to reduce waste, but it also contributes to the circular economy, where items are reused and repurposed instead of being discarded. By shopping at thrift stores, we can contribute to a more sustainable future."
Commenters were surprised by just how many clothes the store had stockpiled.
"Seeing this issue displayed like this really hit me," one user said.
"There's probably so many good vintage items in there if those are all donated clothes," added another.
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