3 Ways Shopping at Goodwill is a Greener Choice
Today’s savvy shoppers are evolving. We’re paying closer attention to how our choices affect the world around us, and in recent years it’s become clear that fast fashion and over-shopping at retail clothing stores are harming our environment.
If you want to make your shopping habits more Earth-friendly, here are three reasons why it’s a greener choice to shop at Goodwill over traditional retail stores:
#1: Extend the Lifespan of Clothing
When you shop secondhand at a Goodwill thrift store, you’re purchasing items that are ready for their second chance at life. (Or third, fourth, or more!) When you bring your Goodwill thrift store finds home and put them to use, you’re extending their life. Your purchases are back in action instead of in a landfill.
This is especially important now as we continue to watch the lifespan of clothing shrink. One survey indicated consumers bought 60 percent more clothing in 2014 than they did in 2000, and they kept the clothes about half as long.
#2: Cut Down on Fast Fashion Manufacturing
Manufacturing in the fashion industry has hit a crisis. It is responsible for 4 percent of the global total of greenhouse emissions, which is about the same amount as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined. The fashion industry also uses more than 90 billion metric tons of clean water every year and contributes to plastic pollution.
Each item of clothing you thrift at Goodwill in Cincinnati is an item that won’t be manufactured new, saving resources and cutting back on greenhouse emissions.
#3: Recycle with Goodwill!
Did you know your clothing and textiles are almost entirely recyclable? It’s true. And at Goodwill, if we can’t sell the items you donate, we recycle! Your clothing items can be used for rags, recycled into carpet or home insulation, and so much more. Making sustainable choices is important to us too, so instead of throwing clothes away, donate them to Goodwill!
Ohio Valley Goodwill is glad to be your smart and sustainable shopping partner. When you shop at a Cincinnati Goodwill thrift store, you can rest easy knowing you’re making a greener choice. You’ll find gently-used clothing, accessories, and home goods at great prices, so you can save some green too!
We’re committed to doing better for our planet and encourage you to join us. Support Goodwill’s sustainability efforts. Find your nearest Ohio Valley Goodwill thrift store in Cincinnati or donation center today!
