Looking good does not come cheap. Clothes that are stylish, exclusive and good quality are beyond most people's budgets. If you opt for more affordable items, however, you often end up with clothes that are of poor quality and there's a good chance that you'll run into someone else wearing the exact same piece. This is one of the many reasons why it is a good idea to start considering charity clothing.
The number one reason to shop at charity stores is that it's a way of doing a good deed. Most non-profit organizations have a hard time raising enough funds for their work and they rely on every penny they can raise through selling donated clothes. Whether it's the local goodwill store in Hanover, PA or an Oxfam shop in London, England, the profits they make can help feed the hungry, educate the illiterate or improve the quality of life of stray animals.
Another important consideration is simple economics. The clothes you find at goodwill stores are often sold for only a few dollars. However, the pieces can be of surprisingly good quality. The result is that you can look great for less and use the money you save on clothes to finance something else, such as an around-the-world trip.
There is another economical aspect to buying second-hand clothes. These days, most cheap and mid-priced clothes are manufactured in factories in poor countries. Often the reason why the garments are so cheap is that the people who make them have to work for very long hours and aren't paid a living wage. Besides, many factories use illegal child labor or pay no attention to basic safety regulations. By refusing to support these factories, you help not to perpetuate the problem.
In a world where consumerism threatens to destroy the environment, shopping at goodwill stores is the green thing to do as well. It takes a lot of water and other resources to produce cotton or wool, for instance. Industrial dyes and other chemicals used in the garment manufacturing process do incredible harm too but you can help contain the damage by wearing what is essentially recycled clothes.
If you still need convincing, think about the uniqueness of clothes you can find at your local goodwill store. Instead of row upon row with exactly the same items, you'll find pieces that nobody else has. Many of these are great quality too and you can even find designer items that have been worn only a couple of times and are still as good as new.
Once you start shopping for clothes at charity stores, you'll quickly see how it encourages you to be creative. While many pieces can be worn straight off the shelf, others need a bit of a makeover. With some basic sewing supplies you can turn the ugliest, most unfashionable piece into something spectacular. For instance, cut off the puffy sleeves of an Eighties dress or cut the hemline a little shorter. Cut up several T-shirts and sew the different pieces back together for a colorful new top. The possibilities are endless and there may even be some business opportunities in upcycling old clothes.
Almost every city and large town has at least one charity store. You only need to look in the local listings or online. These days you'll even find several of these stores online so you can browse from the comfort of your living room.
The number one reason to shop at charity stores is that it's a way of doing a good deed. Most non-profit organizations have a hard time raising enough funds for their work and they rely on every penny they can raise through selling donated clothes. Whether it's the local goodwill store in Hanover, PA or an Oxfam shop in London, England, the profits they make can help feed the hungry, educate the illiterate or improve the quality of life of stray animals.
Another important consideration is simple economics. The clothes you find at goodwill stores are often sold for only a few dollars. However, the pieces can be of surprisingly good quality. The result is that you can look great for less and use the money you save on clothes to finance something else, such as an around-the-world trip.
There is another economical aspect to buying second-hand clothes. These days, most cheap and mid-priced clothes are manufactured in factories in poor countries. Often the reason why the garments are so cheap is that the people who make them have to work for very long hours and aren't paid a living wage. Besides, many factories use illegal child labor or pay no attention to basic safety regulations. By refusing to support these factories, you help not to perpetuate the problem.
In a world where consumerism threatens to destroy the environment, shopping at goodwill stores is the green thing to do as well. It takes a lot of water and other resources to produce cotton or wool, for instance. Industrial dyes and other chemicals used in the garment manufacturing process do incredible harm too but you can help contain the damage by wearing what is essentially recycled clothes.
If you still need convincing, think about the uniqueness of clothes you can find at your local goodwill store. Instead of row upon row with exactly the same items, you'll find pieces that nobody else has. Many of these are great quality too and you can even find designer items that have been worn only a couple of times and are still as good as new.
Once you start shopping for clothes at charity stores, you'll quickly see how it encourages you to be creative. While many pieces can be worn straight off the shelf, others need a bit of a makeover. With some basic sewing supplies you can turn the ugliest, most unfashionable piece into something spectacular. For instance, cut off the puffy sleeves of an Eighties dress or cut the hemline a little shorter. Cut up several T-shirts and sew the different pieces back together for a colorful new top. The possibilities are endless and there may even be some business opportunities in upcycling old clothes.
Almost every city and large town has at least one charity store. You only need to look in the local listings or online. These days you'll even find several of these stores online so you can browse from the comfort of your living room.
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