I remember as a kid, being decked out in all second hand clothing. Mom was thrifty, but I was not stylish! Fast forward to 2012 and Macklemore’s winning a Grammy for the song “ Thrift Shop ''. A song that highlighted the subculture that had come to thrive on the gems waiting at second hand shops. In recent years, thrifting has been rebranded as the solution for affordable sustainability and the Zero Waste movement.
BUT are second hand items dangerous? Dirty? And are there things you should avoid? In this article I’m going to give you the ultimate guide to thrifting safely. And because this is The Way of Woman, you know there’s a hormonal component. 😉 You will learn the impact of thrifting wisely; and how it can help cultivate an environment which promotes healthy hormones. Don't forget to download you safe thrifting checklist (here)
First, why should you go second hand instead of getting the shiny new thing?
Thrifting promotes sustainability.
Maybe you’ve learned about the way fast fashion exploits garment workers, even to the point of compromising their safety. ( a great documentary about this is “ the true cost” on Amazon Prime.) Or that the toxic runoff from chemicals and dyes, used in the making of mainstream clothing, is polluting our waterways.
Now, some people can simply switch to only buying all items from organic, fair trade, B corp certified companies. If that's you, great! It’s important to support these companies that are changing the world for the better. But for most, a change like that requires time, planning, and maybe a bit more money than is on hand at the moment.
If that second description is more in line with you, no shame! We're all doing the best we can with the knowledge and resources at our disposal. For you, thrifting is the best way to vote with your dollar for better practices, as well as making use of clothing and other products already in circulation.
Better on the budget
At this point, you know how important eating good quality food is to your health. “Pay the farmer now, or pay the doctor later” as they say. But a lot of people just can't justify paying for good food on their budget. But what if you could free up some cash in your wardrobe? Or lower the price of the coffee table you've been saving up for? Thrifting is the key!
When it comes to savings we are talking 50% off or more in some cases! You are also more likely to find higher quality clothing at a price you would normally pay for fastfashion. Plus, the higher quality will mean that you can go longer between replacing items!
Lower exposure to toxins
When you buy a brand new mainstream item, whether that's clothing or furniture, there are some major hormone disrupting toxins that you are being exposed to. Whether you absorb the chemicals through skin to product contact, or off gassing (this is when a product releases the toxic chemicals into the air) that shiny new item is adding toxins into your home.
AZO dyes
Formaldehyde
Fire retardant
PFC’s
Metals
And many more chemicals have been found in clothing and furnishings. Do you really want these proven cancer causing, asthma inducing, fertility impairing chemicals in your home?
Best way to avoid this? Let other people take on the toxic load for you. Well, most of these chemicals will still be present in small amounts, micro plastics will break off as the item deteriorates, and so on. The majority of chemicals will be released in the early stages of its existence due to cleaning, and time in the open air.
Let’s face it, there will always be people that will buy new things so why not let your home benefit?
Nothing is perfect, not even thrifting…
As great as thrifting is, it comes with its own hurdles. If you want to thrift safely, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Consider
Thrifting can play a funny trick on the mind I call the “But hey!... It was .99!” (a call back to Macklemore's song) where the cheapness of the items can make you more likely to buy things you don’t need. Remember, we are adding more money to the budget, not getting more random stuff.
Inspect
As great as it is to find a warm chunky sweater, It’s not so great to discover, when you get home, that the entire armpit seam is ripped out. And are you really prepared to remove that order/stain? Now most thrift shops do a thorough inspection of each item and throw out or recycle clothes that don’t live up to a certain standard. However, sometimes a stain or rip will sneak through and you want to catch t before you spend money on it.
Fit check
Does it fit? If not, will you alter it? I have bought many items in my time with the intention of fitting into them one day, or getting them altered if they're too big. You know what happens? If it's not a quick fix I can do it myself, it sits in the closet until I hit a Luteal, “Everything must go!” moment, and it ends up right back in the shop. Now if you're not the procrastinating type, more power to you! But I’ve got to see myself coming here and limit what I purchase.
Covid consideration- In many places, dressing rooms are still closed or even taken out. You may also find the idea of trying on strangers clothing unthinkable, especially in this day and age. I have a work around for this, however if paying attention to your proportions in any way is triggering for you, please disregard this advice.
Have a friend take your measurements/ measure a garment that fits you well. Bring your measurements and sewing measuring tape with you as you shop. This is extremely helpful when I can't try something on and don’t want to waste money guessing whether or not a garment will fit.
Wash Immediately!
As much as I don’t want to reinforce the stigma that buying things second hand is dirty, it is best to take precautions. If there does happen to be any bug, viruses, or order in the items, this should be easily taken care of with your washing machine. Simply bring your shopping bags straight in and dump them in the laundry. Looking for a nontoxic laundry routine? Check out this article!
Enjoy!
Bring your nontoxic thrift shopping to the next level!
1. Keep an eye out for nontoxic materials and reputable brands
Look for natural fabrics sutch:
Cashmere
Cotton
Hemp
Linen
Silk
Wool
Organic is always Ideal
Even if these fabrics are treated with toxic chemicals, the material won’t break down or be absorbed by your skin the way synthetic materials do.
There are some great nontoxic brands that can be found second hand. Finding these items in person can be more of a challenge, due to their price tag, people are less likely to simply throw these items in a give away pile. You're more likely to find them at a consignment shop or online shops like thredUP or Poshmark. Natural Baby Mama has a helpful list of 32 organic clothing brands for adults.
Other second hand materials to look out for:
Glass storage containers, pirex, snapware and mason jars.
Cast iron, stoneware, stainless steel
2. Some materials that are best to avoid
Even though it's second hand, there are still some products that are best to avoid if you can. This is an ever expanding list as scientists invent new materials and new studies are done on their effects.
Fabrics that is made with the following ingredients are everywhere but it is best to avoid them if possible:
Acetate
Acrylic
Polyester
Rayon
Nylon
Other materials to avoid
Plastic containers
Porous kitchen items that such as wool
3. NEVER Get these second hand
Some things should never be bought second hand! A few of these Items can be bought if they are brand new and still in a sealed container and never used, but it is a risk. The following is a list of some but not all of the things that should never be bought second hand.
All plastic before 2012
Children's furnishings, Baby bottles and other items that must be sanitary
Car seats
Makeup and brushes
Many antiques
As sad as this is, it's true. Many of them contain Led, Mercury, Titanium, Uranium and many other nasty components. If you are going vintage, please do your research on what is likely to be safe and get them tested before bringing them into your home.
Non-stick cookware
Period products
Shoes
Underwear
There you have it, your ultimate guide to thrifting safely and wisely cultivating an environment which promotes healthy hormones. It's there anything you would add to any of these categories? Let us know in the comments below. And download your checklist to thrifting safely (here)
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