What is fast fashion?

‘Fast fashion’ is a term that has come to be synonymous with everything that’s currently wrong with the fashion industry. It refers to the system of design and manufacture that values quantity over quality, low prices over proper wages, and speed, trends and profits over people and the environment. The fast fashion model allows clothes to be produced cheaply and quickly in order to reflect continually evolving trends.

Over the past few decades, this has allowed mainstream consumers to buy on-trend clothing at an affordable price. It’s reported that in comparison to twenty years ago, we now purchase 400% more clothing. All this is taking its toll on the environment. The production and sale of clothes is the fourth largest pressure on the UK’s natural resources, coming after the demands of housing, transport and food.

So how exactly does fast fashion affect the environment?

Carbon dioxide

It may not surprise you to learn that fashion is a huge emitter! It’s estimated that clothing accounts for over 5% of global CO2 emissions. In 2015, the industry emitted a whopping 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined . 

Water

Significant amounts of water are used in the growing, refining, and processing of fibres. Cotton – one of the most widespread non-food crops in the world – is a particularly resource-intensive crop. According to the WWF, it takes roughly 2,700 litres of water to produce the cotton needed for just one shirt (not to mention the land required to grow it!).

A lot of this water is taken from ‘blue’ sources – surface-level bodies like lakes and rivers. Over time, this can have damaging effects on the water supplies of local communities, and has even led to the partial disappearance of the Aral Sea. In general, it’s estimated that as much as 200 tonnes of water are used per tonne of fabric in the textile industry – a lot of this is necessary for finishing processes like dyeing.

Polluting chemicals

The fast fashion industry also releases many dangerous and polluting chemicals that are damaging to the health of farmers, factory workers and the surrounding environment.

Pesticides, insecticides and herbicides are relied upon by farmers across the world to produce high yields of in-demand crops. Cotton is a prime example of this – According to the Pesticide Action Network UK, “[non-organic] cotton crops cover 2.4% of the world’s cultivated land but use 6% of the world’s pesticides, more than any other single major crop”.

The over-use of these chemicals threatens biodiversity (especially amongst pollinator species), ecological balance, and the health of nearby communities.

Dyes are another culprit; Fashion Revolution describes how “thick, ink-like water flows through rivers surrounding garment factories; a toxic soup of chemicals discarded from the industry’s synthetic dye processes, filtering into the water systems of the planet”.

Waste

The huge quantity of clothing produced worldwide creates millions of tonnes of fabric wastage, at all stages of the product lifecycle. Only 20% of textiles are currently recycled, and fewer than 10% of garments are made into new clothing each year. It’s estimated that the fashion industry creates approximately 13 kilograms of waste for every person on the planet per year – equating to a landmass larger than the size of France!

Clothing is also largely responsible for the less visible but equally worrying problem of microfibre pollution. When synthetic fabrics are washed, they release millions of hair-like strands that pass straight through wastewater treatment plants into the sea. 

What can we do as individuals?

• Consider quality over quantity – buy less! It’s best to invest in fewer, better-quality clothes! If the idea of a capsule wardrobe is too extreme, try the 30-wears test next time you’re in the shops.

• Shop second-hand: Shopping second hand is a way in which the life of our clothes can be extended! Thrift shops in Destin, FL are the perfect place to do this as clothes are not being wasted.

• Support sustainable/ethical businesses: Supporting these businesses will allow you to feel more positive about where your clothes come from. Choose the ones that give you a clear picture of where their clothes originate– from the materials to production!

• Get curious: When buying clothes, take a second to consider: how are the clothes I am buying being produced? Look up the background of the company and how they organise themselves, from the materials used to the ways in which they are produced. You can always check out the brand’s rating on Good On You.

• Look out for greenwashing: Always look out for certifications from reputable organisations if brands are making claims over the sustainability of their products. Don’t be fooled by clever packaging or wording!

And it doesn’t have to be expensive! There are many ways to embrace sustainable fashion on a budget. A lot of important steps can be made through simple mindset changes, a re-adjustment of the way in which we approach shopping for, caring for and disposing of our clothes.

Chances are you’ve visited a thrift store before. Maybe you’ve gone thrift shopping for a Halloween costume or a tacky holiday sweater. But you don’t have to wait for these two occasions to head to your nearest thrift store! There are so many ways to benefit from thrift shopping all year round.

Reduce waste

Curate a one-of-a-kind wardrobe

Whether you want to stay on top of the latest trends or express your individuality with unique and vintage clothing, thrift shopping allows you to create a wardrobe that’s completely one-of-a-kind. Thrift shopping is a lot like a treasure hunt: you never know what you might find!

Score high-quality goods at low prices

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of finding a great bargain, and at thrift stores, amazing deals are around every corner! Save on clothing, home décor, furniture, shoes, accessories, books, games, and so much more for the entire family. It’s a great feeling to know you’re getting more for less by choosing to shop at a thrift store over a traditional retailer.

Support the community

Donate to thrift shops in Panama City Beach, FL and change a life!

They are a non-profit organization that’s serves the community. Every purchase you make at Goodwill helps to support our life-changing mission to provide job training and employment services to individuals with disabilities and our nation’s veterans. Best of all, when you choose to buy gently-used items instead of brand-new ones, you extend the life cycle of reusable goods and help to protect our planet for years to come!

Everyone has clothes in their wardrobe which they just don’t wear anymore. It’s often the result of one-too-many online shopping binges, or consistently buying into ‘the next big trend’. However this over-consumption of clothes is actually really harming the planet.

We need a new approach to shopping; purchasing less, buying more selectively and desposing unwanted items responsibly. Ultimately, we should be giving clothing the chance to stand the test of time.

If you switch to these 7 simple steps, you can still look good, feel good, all whilst doing the planet some good too.

Reduce

1. Reduce the urge to shop ‘on-trend’

Trends are temporary and ever-changing, and although they do eventually come back around, in the meantime clothing is too often seen as disposable. Not only does this waste vast amount of materials and resources involved in production, but the clothing is often chucked straight into landfill after the next new trend comes along.

Some thrift stores, such as COW, even boycotted big consumer holidays such as ‘Black Friday’ in protest against the fast-fashion industry:

2. Reduce the amount you buy on the highstreet

With all that being said, you don’t need to completely disregard shopping on the highstreet, as there are certain basics which are much harder to find anywhere else. However, even reducing the amount you consume from big corportate companies will dramatically decrease your own personal carbon footprint, annually.

3. Reduce your carbon footprint by shopping at thrift stores

Thrift stores are indepedently-owned treasure troves, and often full to the brim with rare and bespoke bargains. You really do get more bang for your buck than shopping on the highstreet, plus it doesn’t harm the planet. (It just goes to show the real life-span of our clothing, opposed to the assumption that clothing is redundant after a couple years of use).

Re-Use

4. Re-Use hand-me-downs!

Hand-me-downs are nothing new to most people, especially those with siblings. Clothing such as coats, shoes and denim jeans passed down from family or friends will save you tonnes of cash, compared to buying them all brand-new.

5. Re-Use the fabric from old clothing

A great way to re-use old or damaged clothing is to re-work the fabric. You can create cushion covers, bags, purses, hats, scarves – all you need is a basic sewing machine, enough fabric, and some creativity.

Recycle

6. Recycle unusable fabric

Sometimes, clothing is just too damaged to either re-use or give away, and it frequently ends up in landfill as a result. However, you can still recycle the fabric at your local tip, where old scraps of material will be broken down and used to make brand-new items, such as cleaning cloths and industrustrial blankets.

7. Recycle clothing by donating to charities

After your bi-annual closet purge, you can donate your unwanted clothes to women’s shelters, charities or to thrift stores in Panama City Beach, FL. This is a fun and eco-friendly way to recycle your old clothes (and make a bit of cash while you’re it).

There is a specific protocol that most runners follow for how to clean running shoes, and you should do the same. While you don’t need to stick to the following steps exactly or in order, make sure to try and clean every part of the shoe regularly. While trail shoes will need an exterior scrub more often than city shoes, for example, both shoes should see a top-to-bottom cleaning periodically to keep them functional, comfortable, and safe.

Allow Your Shoes to Dry

If you’ve just gotten home from a good jog, you’re probably tempted to go after your shoes with some cleaner right away. However, if your footwear is muddy, it’s usually a good idea to let the mud dry first. This makes it easier to clean off, and the dirt is less likely to penetrate and stain your sneakers this way, too.

If your shoes are sweaty or waterlogged, but not muddy, you can get started with them right away. Since you’re going to be wetting them anyway during the cleaning process, there’s no reason to wait!

Disassemble Your Shoes

Your next important step will be to take out any removable parts of your shoes. For most runners, this includes both the insole and the shoelaces. However, if your insole is glued in or otherwise adhered to your footwear, don’t force it out! Only remove the insole if it detaches from the shoe readily (which will be the case for most runners).

You can wash the insoles and shoelaces by hand if you’d like, or you can put them in a pillowcase and run them through your washing machine’s gentle cycle on cold. However, if you’re unsure whether your insoles and shoelaces can handle a trip through the dryer, it’s better to hang onto them and hand-wash them later. If you have aftermarket insoles inside of your shoes, take care to make sure they can handle the washing process before doing so, too.

Clean Off Dirt and Mud

Your next step will be to clean off any exterior mud and dirt from your shoes, if applicable. As long as you’ve let the mud dry, it should scrape or brush off easily. Use tools like:

• A soft-bristled scrub brush
• A toothbrush
• A soft sponge or scrubber

Different brushes and sponges will help you reach mud and dirt in different places. A scrub brush, for example, will be useful for cleaning the whole shoe, while a toothbrush will work best in small crevices that the scrub brush and sponge can’t reach.

Wash Your Outer Shoe

Once you’ve gotten any caked-on mud and dirt off of your shoes, the next step is to wash them! However, if your runners specifically say that they’re machine-washable, then go for it! Just make sure to use your machine’s gentle cycle on cold.

However, for most shoes, it’s best to stay away from machine washing. This is because the tumbling that your shoes experience in the washer can cause layers of fabric to weaken and come apart. You never know how one brand of footwear will react to a machine washing, so unless the brand itself has given you the okay on it, hand-washing is a much safer bet.

To begin, mix a mild soap, like eco-friendly laundry detergent, with water to create a gentle washing solution. Some shoes will do better with a specialized shoe cleaner, such as those with a waterproof or Gore-Tex® outer layer. Don’t submerge or saturate the top part of your shoe, either. The top of your footwear should need spot cleaning only.

For the outer soles of your shoes, feel free to dip them in your soapy water solution, then scrub them liberally with one of your scrubbing tools. For shoes with deep grooves in the soles, a scrub brush or toothbrush will work best, while a sponge should work well for most other shoes. Rinse your footwear carefully with clean water when you finish.

Clean and Deodorize Your Inner Shoes

Cleaning the inside of your shoes is arguably even more important than cleaning the outside. After all, you may not hit a muddy puddle every time you run, but your feet will likely sweat almost every time. If you let that sweat build up in your shoes, it will cause unsanitary conditions and odor. In the worst cases, it could even cause health problems for your feet.

If you’ve chosen not to put your insoles into the wash, now is the time to wash them. You can use the mild soap mixture from the last step for this, but we recommend a balanced mix of baking soda and water. This will create an odor-eliminating paste for your shoes. Alternatively, you can wash the insides of your shoes with the mild soap, then deodorize them by pouring baking soda in the runners once they’re dry.

Once you’ve thoroughly scrubbed your insoles, clean the dirt and soap off with a damp sponge. Try not to saturate or soak them if at all possible.

Dry Your Shoes

The final step to washing your shoes is to let them thoroughly dry. While there are many popular ways to speed up the drying time of shoes, many of them can damage your footwear! The best way to dry your runners is to leave them inside the house in a well-ventilated area. A fan will help them dry faster, but it’s not required.

On the other hand, it is not recommended that you do any of the following:

• Dry your shoes in the dryer
• Dry your runners in the sun
• Dry your footwear over an air vent, radiator, or furnace in your home

It’s a good idea to stuff your shoes gently with paper towels or newspaper to help them dry and hold their shape, too. Leave the newspaper or paper towel in the runners for at least the first 24 hours of drying time.

Its very important to clean and sanitize your shoes if you have bought them from a thrift store in Panama City Beach, FL because second hand shoes require extra care.But nothing is wrong, if you are saving money and helping the environment as well. Just follow the above steps to maintain your shoes.

Many fashion aficionados have come to love the vintage clothing trend. By wearing clothing, shoes and accessories that have been around for decades, it feels as if you’re paying tribute to a different time. When the vintage trend made its way to the New York runways and fashion magazines, its swift popularity proved that it’s a women’s fashion category that’s here to stay. Luckily, you don’t have to break the bank to get the vintage fashion look that you see on the runway.  

One of the great things about shopping at a thrift store is that you can find things that you wouldn’t normally find at a retail store. Vintage clothing at a discounted price is especially hard to find unless you’re willing to spend more at a specialty shop.

Here are some vintage items you might find at thrift shops in Panama City Beach, FL.

Vintage Dresses with Details

Ruffles, ties and shoulder pads, oh my! Keep an eye out for vintage dresses with detailed sleeves, buttons or embroidery.  

Quality Vintage Shoes

Ones with buckles, peep toes and kitten heels are all vintage shoes worth adding to your wardrobe.

Real Fedora Hats

Many modern fashion brands have recreated their own version of the fedora, but it’s even better when you can find an original.

Costume Jewelry

Look for rich bold colors mixed with bling. This type of costume jewelry reminiscent of the 1960s is considered vintage.

Belts

Linked chains and big buckles are two types of vintage belts you might find. Also look for old sterling silver belts with touches of turquoise popular in the Southwest.

Beaded Handbags

Small flapper-style handbags with beaded detail add a vintage touch to your look. Look for high quality and you’ll know you’ve found a gem.

Second-hand clothing is the latest trend, and it’s going to overtake fast fashion in next few years. Fast-fashion is the speed-to-market business model causing fashion waste crisis while secondhand is here to overcome the crisis caused by fashion waste. 

Secondhand clothing business is booming as the market uniquely meets the consumers’ preference for value, variety, and sustainability. Below listed are the reasons that will surely make you embrace the secondhand hand clothing.

1) Pay less for more

Obviously, used clothes are cheaper than the new ones. Expensive clothes are no more expensive! You will find expensive brands falling into your budget. While shopping, we need to vote for what is right with our pocket. Thrift shops in Destin, FL understand your pocket well and offer you the best.

Research has found that shoppers from all price level are buying secondhand clothes. At the luxury retail end, 26% of shoppers buy used goods. In the mid-market, it stands at 25% and 22% depending on discounts. The secondhand market has provided an awesome budget to shoppers.

2) Dress for the planet

Fashion is the 2^nd largest polluting industry in the world. Fabrics aren’t biodegradable, and industry’s raw materials consume a vast amount of resources and leave behind huge levels of pollution and emissions- around 20% of the world’s wastewater and 10% of carbon emission comes from the fashion industry, reported by UNECE.

What happens to our used clothes? 64% of what we buy ends up in landfills. Buying used goods instead of new extend the cloth’s life and reduce the garment’s carbon footprint by 82%. The Secondhand market is reducing pressure on virgin resources used for making new clothes and the number of problems caused by their manufacture and usage. To attain sustainability, we should be conscious about 5Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Reinvent and Repair.

If we all can buy just ONE used cloth instead of new, we can really make a huge collective positive impact on our planet.

3) Personalize your style

Secondhand clothing has personalized the style for everyone. Now you don’t really need to visit big shops to pick the trendy style that everyone else is picking. The secondhand market has a huge variety of vintage fashion. Grab your style. Be more specific. Be more creative. Be classier.

Fight on Fashion

Fashion is cyclical. By embracing secondhand clothing, you can breakdown the stigma of second-hand clothing. We all need to fight on fashion to live a healthy and wealthy life. Inspire others to join the fight on fashion by embracing used goods

Everyone wants to save a couple of bucks, but when is it worth it and when should you consider shelling out more than you might want to? When it comes to home appliances, decor, and furniture, you can find a lot of good deals and quality comparable to new when shopping secondhand at thrift shops in Destin, FL. But before you head to your local second-hand store, know that some things require a closer look. Buying secondhand is great for the environment and your wallet, but you want to make sure that you’re returning home with quality items. 

Definitely worth buying secondhand: lighting

Don’t shy away from DIY projects either, if you’re not finding exactly what you’re looking for.  “For the DIYers out there, it is very easy to modernize old brass fixtures with a coat of regular or textured spray paint,” Lee says. “We often stock new and modern lighting that is half retail price.” And if the lighting isn’t exactly in working condition, here’s good news: Rewiring a light fixture is not as hard as it sounds.

Definitely worth buying secondhand: furniture

“With imagination and a little elbow grease, you can turn a worn but well-loved table, dresser, bookshelf, or chair into a refinished or repainted masterpiece to fit any decor, and at a fraction of the price of a new built-from-a-box piece,” Lee says.

Another benefit to buying used? A lot of old furniture is especially well made. Look for solid wood pieces, which have more refinishing potential since they can be both painted and stained. On dressers, sideboards, or end tables, check for signs of craftsmanship like dovetail joinery on the drawers; on other pieces, you can check for signs of peeling veneer to get an idea as to whether or not the wood is solid.

That’s not to say wood is the only thing you can refinish, though. Chalk-finish paint and spray paint are both versatile and work for re-painting a variety of materials, from laminate to metal.

Definitely worth buying secondhand: cabinets

When redoing their kitchens, a lot of homeowners think they have to either work with what they have or buy new. Not so.says

While you may not be wild about the finish or door style either, it’s crucial to note that doors are much cheaper to buy new than cabinet boxes—so even if you get used boxes to pair with new doors, you’re still saving a ton of money. As for finishes, cabinets can be repainted by any patient DIYer; solid wood ones can be re-stained, too.

Skip buying secondhand: appliances you don’t have the full scoop on

When it comes to large appliances—refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, dryers, and the like—don’t buy secondhand before giving them a thorough once-over. If they don’t meet the below standards, skip ‘em, pros say.

“If you’re considering buying a secondhand appliance, you’ll want to make sure first and foremost that it fully functions, so ask the place you’re buying it from to turn it on for you,” Carson, of Handy, advises. “In addition, make sure to check that the connections are all intact—the power cord should be clean from any taped-up wires. If it’s an appliance like a dishwasher or washing machine, make sure the water connections are clear and that the seller gives you all the correct hoses to install it in your home.”

Another thing to keep in mind with appliances is that older models—ones that are a decade old or more—might work just fine, but could cost you lots in energy usage. For instance, EnergyStar has a calculator to help you figure out how much extra cost to anticipate depending on the year of manufacture for your fridge, which will help give you a better idea of what your long-term costs are.

Of course, there are caveats to this recommendation: If you’re able to find a unique vintage piece with lots of character—like a 1940s gas range—it might be worth the hassle to get it up to working order for your own home. After all, with all the wear that comes with secondhand appliances, there’s tons of character to be found, too.

Whether you’re moving or just looking for a quick design change, selecting new furniture is a big part of the process. Unfortunately, furniture shopping can get extremely expensive and isn’t very environmentally friendly. Purchasing used furniture, or re-purposing your own furniture, can actually be a better option.

If you haven’t done so before, you may not know where to begin. Below we cover the benefits of purchasing used furniture and restoration.

Benefits of buying used furniture

Some people are turned off by the idea of buying used furniture because they assume it’s in bad condition. It’s possible to run into a few bad pieces if not careful, but the reality is some used furniture can be very high quality. The following are three benefits of buying used furniture:

1. Less expensive

It’s no surprise that furniture shopping can get expensive. Realistically speaking, furniture diminishes in value as soon as it’s purchased. With a little bit of searching, you can find that high price tag item for much cheaper when it’s used.

2. Supporting your local business owners

Buying used furniture is a great way to support your community. When you buy used furniture, the money goes into the pockets of your neighbors. It’ll feel much better purchasing an item when you know your money is going into helping your neighborhood.

3. More environmentally friendly

People shop for furniture more often than you think. This can be because of moving needs, outgrowing old furniture, or even just a desire for change. An increase in purchases, however, leads to an increase in waste. Out of the 12 million tons of furniture that Americans toss out yearly, 80 percent ends up in a landfill, which negatively impacts the environment.

Places you can buy used furniture

Used furniture can be found for sale in many places. Today’s most popular way to purchase is through online platforms, such as through Facebook marketplace. This is not only a great way to buy used furniture, but also sell your old pieces as well.

Second-hand stores are also another place you can find used furniture. Consider making a trip to your local thrift store in Panama City Beach, FL, as you never know what you may find.

Yard sales or estate sales can also have some hidden gems. You can also bargain in these situations. More often than not, people are willing to sell things at lower prices to get rid of them faster.

Purchasing tips and tricks

There are some things to keep in mind when buying used furniture. If possible, go evaluate and inspect the piece with your own eyes. Test it out and make sure it’s functioning properly and doesn’t have any damage that you couldn’t see in photos.

Try and also avoid buying used furniture that can be unhygienic. This includes mattresses, pillows, and blankets. The last thing you need is an infestation of bed bugs to deal with in the middle of the night. Likewise, beware of bad smells. They can be hard to get rid of and it’s better just to pass on a smelly item.

Believe it or not, you can actually rub a walnut on wood furniture to make scratches seem less visible. The walnut’s oil seeps into the wood to achieve this.

The clothing industry continues to grow, and what is mainly available for your kids is often made with unsustainable fabrics. There are extensive issues in the clothing industry, but specifically the waste that is created from kids clothing is huge as they are constantly outgrowing their clothes. However, there are a couple ways to make your child’s clothing more sustainable and long-lasting.

Buy Second Hand

One of the easiest solutions is to buy clothing second hand from a thrift shop in Panama City Beach, FL. This solution makes clothing not only sustainable but also more affordable as shopping at secondhand stores is usually cheaper than buying new clothes.  Reusing these clothes also keeps them out of the landfill, giving them a longer life. It is the perfect way to get some new clothes for your child without having to buy any new fabrics. Buying second hand is easy, there are tons of second hand stores in most cities.

Donate so others have the opportunity to live sustainably

Donating your child’s clothes once they outgrow them, makes it possible for others to use them, again extending their life, making them more sustainable. Often, as kids grow so fast, clothing which is still perfectly good ends up in the landfill whereas if it is donated it allows other kids to wear the clothes and helps to continue the second hand tradition.

Hand-me-downs are a great way to save money

Hand me down clothing is often done between family members or friends passing the clothes their kids have grown out of directly down to children that could wear them again. This is beneficial because its free and can be passed down directly to another family that you know.

Clothing Swaps are fun, easy ways to trade old clothes for some new ones for your child!

Similarly, clothing swaps allow clothes to be passed down so that other children can wear them. Clothing swaps can be fun events to organize with friends and family and allow a wider selection of clothing to choose from.

Composting natural fibres

There are some fibres which are compostable, meaning that they will not remain in the landfill for long periods of time, making them the most environmentally sustainable choice for clothing. Environmental considerations are extremely important when considering buying clothes for your children. After all, your children will be the next generation on earth, so the effect that you have on it directly impacts them.

Natural fibres, such as items made from pure wool or cotton will decompose, while synthetic fibres, such as polyester, will not. Buying natural fibres and composting them will limit the amount of clothes in landfills, and will have virtually no negative environmental impact. If you have to buy new fabrics, buying something sustainable, like hemp, also allows for a more sustainable lifestyle.

Upcycling is a chance to make something brand new

Upcycling is taking clothes and changing them so that they can be used again or used for longer. It can be done with kids clothes, such as adding a strip of fabric to the bottom of a skirt to make it longer so your child can wear it for longer; or it can be done with adult clothes which can be altered so that they fit the children, such as in the image below.

Upcycling is a great way to change clothes to create something totally new and different from what you already have without having to buy any new fabrics.

Repairing your child’s clothes simply helps them last longer

Repairing clothes which have been damaged, like when your child rips a hole in the knee of his or her pants, allows the clothes to have a much longer life. These repairs can be fun and cute and make the clothes last significantly longer; often clothes that have ripped do not need to be thrown out can can be fixed quite simply.

While it is challenging to raise your child sustainably, there are many simple ways to help ensure that their clothing has a longer life and stays out of the landfill. These solutions can be fun and very informative for your child as you can teach them all about a sustainable lifestyle and how they can make a positive impact.