A 2020 report by Zero Waste Scotland revealed textile wastage accounts for 32% of the countrys carbon impact. Last year, The Scottish government set reaching net-zero by 2045, five years ahead of the whole of the UK.
Scary numbers and ambitious aims seem to be the perfect tinder match. Thrifting has emerged as one of the remedies for this textile wastage mess. 'The most environmentally friendly option is what is already out there' says Miriam Adcock, communications consultant for Zero Waste Scotland
It keeps things in circulation for longer meaning less contamination
When we buy second-hand garments, we prevent them from ending in toxic landfills, at least for a while longer. ‘If we’ve already had this huge carbon impact of manufacturing these clothes, then we want to keep them in use again and again and again', Adcock says. Thrift shopping helps to stagger the carbon emissions rather than adding to them.
‘When clothing ends up in landfills, they produce the toxic gas methane’ says Alice Cruickshanks, a Scottish stylist who centres around ethical and sustainable fashion. Methane accelerates global warming. ‘Keeping things going for nine months more reduces your carbon footprint by 30%', she adds. It might not seem a lot in the bigger picture but it is a step forward.
2. It helps shrink the consumer mindset
In modern society, customers are urged to update their wardrobes every month. ‘We are constantly pushed to buy more than we need, and to be honest probably more than we want, ’ Cruickshank says. Retailers pressure us to keep up with changing trends to fit in. There may be four seasons in the year, but these seem to be doubled in the fashion industry.
‘The best thing about thrift shopping is it helps us to slow down and think about what we actually want to buy. When you're not being påresented with what’s in trend this week, and what is in the thrifty shop, you get a chance to think ‘what do I want to wear ‘ what would I like to look like’, Cruickshank's comments. When thrifting, customers have to look thoroughly through the clothes to find what they like, whereas when we go to fast-fashion retailers, we often are indirectly told what to buy. Although it is not a cause and effect relationship, there is a lower chance of your wardrobe filling up with a one-time use garment when you buy second hand.
3. Preserves natural resources
It takes around 3,000 litres of water to make only one cotton t-shirt. And, that is just the beginning of a long journey. ‘Then there’s the transport, the packaging, the washing, the marketing’, Adcock says. An apparent endless course whereby thrifting cuts in half. Buying second-hand means skipping multiple steps of the clotting process altogether. ‘Keeping things in circulation longer, we’re not needing something new to be made, ’ Cruickshank adds. Thrifting limits the exploitation of natural sources.
These facts are not to say this activity is the magical antidote for the textile malaise. However, it does mirror that this alternative helps beyond what one might think.
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