Running a thrift shop and consignment store is more than just business; it’s a meaningful way to promote sustainability by reducing the demand for new items and easing environmental impact. But let’s get real about how significant this impact is. This article dives into how your shop is driving cultural change and quantifies its environmental influence.

Redefining sustainability

Sustainability often comes across as either sacrifice or a pricey choice. Ethically made clothes tend to cost more than mainstream fashion, and choosing the train over flying can hit your wallet harder. Enter your thrift shop: secondhand clothing not only often costs less but also carries a unique vibe. You make sustainable fashion more accessible and associate sustainability with ease and joy. Your shop helps shift attitudes, making more people proud to buy pre-loved products—a crucial shift in cultural norms.

Positively influencing consumer behavior

When you buy or consign clothes in your shop, you incentivize consumers to opt for durable apparel and to take better care of it. Surveys by platforms like Vinted show that 36% of users say they take better care of their clothes because they plan to sell them, and 22% even look for higher quality in new purchases with resale in mind. Your thrift business fosters awareness of sustainable consumption and encourages people to be more intentional with their wardrobe choices.

Avoiding new purchases: understanding the ‘Replacement Rate’

A significant part of your shop’s sustainable impact comes from reducing new clothing production. How much new clothing is really saved by buying secondhand? Researchers refer to this as the “Replacement Rate”—the percentage of new items replaced by secondhand purchases. Studies indicate this rate is between 40% and 60%, meaning every two secondhand items bought potentially prevent one new purchase.

Environmental costs of fashion: More than just CO2

Making clothes involves more than just CO2 emissions. Here are other environmental impacts from new clothing production:

• Water Use: A cotton T-shirt takes about 2,700 liters of water, and jeans can use up to 10,000 liters. In water-scarce regions, this leads to significant issues.

• Water Pollution: Pesticides used in cotton farming and chemicals in dyes and bleaches heavily pollute water resources.

• Land Use and Biodiversity: Cotton farming requires large areas and harms biodiversity due to pesticide use.

• Fossil Resources: Producing synthetic fabrics like polyester involves extracting fossil fuels, adding to environmental degradation.

By cutting down on new clothing, your shop not only reduces CO2 emissions but also conserves water, protects land, and supports biodiversity.

Calculating CO2 Savings: A Step-by-Step Guide

Annual Sales: First, know how many pieces you sell yearly. This number is crucial as savings scale with the volume of secondhand clothes sold.

Replacement Rate: Assume a midpoint rate of 50% for simplicity, indicating that for every two items sold, one item’s production is avoided.

Emissions Per Item: CO2 emissions vary by item, e.g.,

• T-shirts: 4-10 kg CO2 (Source)

• Shoes: 10-15 kg CO2 (Source)

• Dresses 22 kg CO2 ((Source)

• Jeans: 20-40 kg CO2 (Source)

Choose an average, like 15 kg CO2, for your calculations.

CO2 Savings Calculation: Multiply the number of sold items by the replacement rate and average emissions per item to estimate your savings.

Just use our calculator at the top of this page to work out exactly how much you are saving!

Your Positive Impact Goes Beyond Numbers

Beyond measurable effects on CO2, water use, and biodiversity, your thrift shop plays a vital cultural role. You make sustainability appear positive, accessible, and standard. This shift in perception is a key step toward a more sustainable future.

By operating a thrift shop, you make a significant contribution to a greener planet—not just through direct environmental benefits but also by inspiring a cultural shift. Every piece counts, and together, we can make a difference.