Fashion Rev: How to Dispose Your Clothes Responsibly

Good Morning! This week we got curious & found out that there was a bigger story behind how our clothes are made. I shared tips on how to create awareness & also how to shop intentionally. Today, I'm going to share some ideas on how you can dispose of your clothes responsibly.

Sell
Image by golocalprov.com
If your clothes are stylish and still in good condition, sell them at your neighborhood vintage shop or Buffalo Exchange. You can also resell on ebay. Or you can even download shop apps on your phone & it'll let you create your very own online shop. It'll show you step-by-step how to get your images up & figure out prices for each item. Some examples are: Poshmark, Twice, Threadup, & Tradesy. They're all legitimate & you can even read reviews on sellers just to make sure! See? You can even earn a couple bucks by thoughtfully disposing your clothes through selling decent pieces. 

Hand-down
I'm sure we've all received a "hand-me-down" at some point in our lives. Before we all had our own jobs & were able to buy ourselves anything or even before fashion was such a priority in our lives. Personally, hand-downs were the best clothes that I had ever received from anyone. Now, some people may not be so willing to accept, but maybe you can find out if a family is in need of some lightly used clothes that still has some years left & could be worn. You could gently offer your clothes to them, or you could even ask if your community is interested or in need of some gently used clothing. Not everyone has the money or the means to always be on top of the latest trends. Nor do they have the ability to shop all the time. Hand-downs are a great way to share your clothes with those who are actually in need of clothing & may put better use out of them, than you ever could. I know I never took the clothes I received for granted. I loved restyling them & was always appreciative of older girls handing down their clothes because even though they were used, they were stylish, & with having 4 sisters, my parent's weren't really able to provide us fashionable wardrobes all the time.  

Image by dailymail.co.uk
Donate
You probably donate your clothes to Goodwill or the Salvation Army when your clothes are of no more use to you or are no longer in style right? This is a good start. This is what I do too. But I recently found out that a lot of our unwanted second hand clothing is becoming a problem in third world countries. More than 70% of the clothes donated globally end up in Africa, which has destroyed their economy as well. Not that you shouldn't give your clothes to local charity shops, you should! But do your research. Consider very carefully where you choose to donate. For example, you might donate your clothes to help people get back to work with organizations like Dress for Success or Career Wardrobe. Or you might look out for clothing drives to help the homeless, refugees, or people in crisis. 

Now you may think that it takes more work to responsibly dispose of your clothes than shopping for them. But let me tell you this, as American's, on average, we throw away an average of 68 lbs. worth of clothes, per person annually. This causes us to waste energy, water, & landfill space. Whatever you do, make sure you are intentional. It may take longer when you choose to dispose responsibly, but its better for you, me, and the hard working people behind the scenes. 

Instant fashion leads to obese wardrobes. Instant disposal leads to landfills. We've become people who want things instantly, but others are paying the price. I'd like to know how you responsibly dispose of your clothes. Please share below if you have any other ideas that can be added to this list. 

 "Instant fashion leads to obese wardrobes. Instant disposal leads to landfills. We've become people who want things instantly, but others are paying the price."


My hope & prayer is that we continue on living intentionally & with awareness of what is going on. I thank those of you who have taken your time to read through this weeks series: How to Start a Fashion Revolution. 

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."- Galatians 5:1
Jesus came to set us free once & for all. This means that all people have been given freedom. But because of the obsessed infatuation to wanting more & more, we've created opportunities that have sucked mankind back into slavery again. Be the change. Be a difference maker. Be the voice for those who need you most.  Souls are more important than new clothes. Don't ever forget that. 

Resources from www.fashionrevolution.orgIf you want to catch up:

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