Purchasing clothing second hand has an endless list of benefits that stretch from being highly available, to reduced costs and higher quality..but did you know that shopping second hand is also sustainable and beneficial for the environment? By purchasing second hand, shoppers give clothing items a new life and reduce the need to produce another new item. Purchasing a second hand clothing item reduces its climate footprint by 73%, but why does that matter?

 

The fashion industry is a large contributor to global carbon emissions and that’s a big deal! Along with waste created through garment production, American consumers throw away roughly 70 pounds of clothing per person, every year. (Forbes) Clothing that makes it's way to landfills will sit for centuries before it is completely broken down, all while releasing toxic chemicals from synthetic fibers that contribute to greenhouse gases and warm the atmosphere. So basically, one item purchased is one item kept out of a landfill!

 

By purchasing second hand, you also keep your money local and your clothing donations local as well! We, at Elliott Consignment, donate to two local charities wearable clothing that either doesn’t meet our consignment criteria or doesn’t sell in our store. By diversifying our donations and keeping donations local we assure that the donated items stay out of landfills and aren’t sold overseas to interrupt other countries’ garment industries and local economies. If you are a local Chicago Charity, reach out to us! We would love to work with you. Together with our charity partners, we have been able to recycle hundreds of thousands of clothing items.