Smart Secondhand Shopping: Top Tips for September Bargains

What is secondhand September

Everyone has heard of Oxfam for its charity work and scandals. In 2019, it started a campaign asking people to pledge to resist buying fast fashion and only buy second-hand clothing during the month. This includes charity shops, friends' shops, or online forums. It does not just come from boosting sales for their shops and other charity shops; it's directed at being kind to our planet and shedding light on fast fashion and its impact on the environment, not just those making the clothing.

The issues surrounding fast fashion are hard to ignore; though I still buy secondhand, I try to sell off, donate to charity, or put the item in a clothing donation bin at the local school so it does not just go back to the landfill. I also try to buy pieces I will wear a lot, so I am not purchasing some cheap tops from Shien or Temu but somewhere with a slightly less dire reputation. In the words of Tescos, “Every little helps.”

Impacts of fast fashion.

Fast fashion impacts climate change with the production of textiles and the overuse of cotton, using up a considerable amount of water needed to make an outfit. It takes 20,000L of water to make a pair of jeans and 2,700L for a top. So buying second-hand shares the water load a round and get the most out of an item. By the way, the amount of water equals enough to hydrate one person for 20 years. Though cotton is excellent, it takes a lot of water to produce it. This figure doesn't include the amount of water they use to wash the T-shirt and jeans once you have purchased them. Not just increasing water usage, but fossil fuel use has increased with the industry, which is known to contribute 8-10% of global CO2 emissions. Not including the rise in demand for polyester, which will increase this number dramatically, makes the fashion industry the second biggest polluter after the oil industry.

Fun fact 

If everyone chooses to buy one item second-hand instead of a new one this year, it would save 204 million kgs of clothing waste (the weight of 1 million polar bears), 25 billion gallons of water (the equivalent of 1.24 billion showers), 7 billion pounds of CO2 emissions (the same as taking 500,000 cars off our roads for a whole year).

how you can make a difference

1. re-wear/ minimalism wardrobe/ basics

Invest in products that can be worn every season, like a Coat, boots, and a cashmere jumper. Also, given the weather in England, we need outfits for all weather conditions, but don’t jump to the summer wardrobe; try a capsule wardrobe.

Look after your clothing.

Check if it needs to be cleaned; I am a sniffer. If it smells, it gets washed even though, for example, denim does not need to be washed for 180 days. I find it unhygienic, I will be honest. I need to work on this. Also, double-check the labels for washing requirements. For example, 30 degrees is better for the environment, the clothes' maintenance of the original condition and fabric, their longevity, and your ability to help reduce fashion's impact on the environment. 

 Shop charity shops.

To kill two birds with one stone, buy a suitable fashion for the environment and support a local charity shop. Depending on where you go, they will generally have good brands, so you research where I live, which has some fantastic charity shops that sell designer brands. I volunteered there and saw Barber and Armani invest in brands you know and, therefore, know the quality. When shopping for charity, I become pickier about what I buy. Also, there are places in London like Gloucester Road with charity shops with designer wear, though pricey, which is high quality as people who have bought these items first-hand have the money and pride in clothing to take care of them. However, prices are lower than retail, girl, and math. When I worked at a charity shop, we had a sorter called Stella, which I called the Stella Standard. People donate many things and do not necessarily check their condition or wash them with stains and holes, which means they can’t be sold. Not every charity shop will have a fashionable retired Primary school teacher who loves vintage hats to check. I recommend checking the item before buying and the crotch area in men’s wear. 

Vinted 

I bought things for £50 cheaper than retail. When I buy off Vinted, I am looking for specific things. For example, I bought an And Other Stories cardigan for around £12, which retailed at £67. It was in fantastic condition, and it was so cheap compared to the other products on the website. So, if you like something but not the price tag, Vinted is excellent. The categories and filters make it easy to find what you want.  I would be hyper-aware of buying a designer due to the lack of verification on these forums.

Check it twice.

Like Santa, there’s no harm in checking whether it’s in person or online; ask about marks, stains, and damage that might reduce the price, especially if the photogram and description are absent. Most of the time, they are happy to do so, and if they stand off about it, don’t buy it. Transparency is so important in creating good relationships between seller and buyer. In person, it’s easier. You can look at the product, always try it on, or ask for their changing rooms or return policy. If everything fails and it doesn’t fit, resell it yourself, which I have had to do.

Also, I found good charity shops with brands like J Crew and Reiss plus Zara on Kensington High Street and also on Gloucester Road. They are priced accordingly but not too inexpensive.