Ditch the Shein haul for your new summer wardrobe, and find your new favorite pieces more sustainably. Fast fashion is out, and recycling is in.
You may be asking yourself — “why should I shop sustainably when I could get cheap summer fashion?” One of the main reasons is the dangers and damage caused by fast fashion.
Fast fashion, as defined by Ethical Consumer, is a system where fashion items are made cheap and quickly, and trends roll over very fast, requiring consumers to buy the “next trendy item” from places like Shein, H&M, Romwe, Target and more. From a sustainability standpoint, this model creates a ton of waste. Most fast fashion items, once worn for the time they are trendy, are discarded in the trash and put in a landfill.
The argument for sustainable fashion is not only found within the discontinuation of fast fashion consumption but also in terms of your wallet and wardrobe. For example, let’s say at the start of this summer, you buy $100 dollars worth of clothes from Shein, filling your wardrobe with cheaply made trends that will most likely be out of style in a few weeks.
On the other hand, say you spent $100 at sustainable clothing retailers, such as thrift shops and garage sales. These clothes are most likely to be higher quality and not micro-trends. In addition, instead of creating a new item, you bought an item that has also already been created.
So, check out these places around Madison and beyond for your summer clothing wardrobe upgrade!
Re-Wear It
Ashley-Grace Dureke, the president of Re-Wear It explained their mission as making “sustainable fashion and education about conscious consumerism more accessible and available to college students.” This student organization’s main activity is their clothing swaps, where students have the opportunity to bring in retired pieces from their own wardrobe and trade them with other students around campus.
Pros:
- On campus and run by students!
- Free!
Cons:
- Swaps only run once a week
Upshift
This store near James Madison Park has a lot to offer in relation to thrifted and sustainable fashion. According to their website, customers “bring in a bag of gently used items from their own closet, we empty the bag, and the customer refills their bag with items from the boutique.” That way, you not only have the opportunity to find new, stylish pieces, but you also get to clean out your closet! In addition, if you have nothing to donate, you can pay $30 to fill up a bag too.
Pros:
- Near to campus
- Super affordable
- Supporting small businesses
Cons:
- Not a huge variety, only one storefront
Depop
The online clothing store, similar to eBay, Poshmark or Wayfair, Depop is one of the most popular ways of reselling gently used and vintage clothing. With an Instagram-like mobile app that is perfect for scrolling, along with trending hashtags, Depop is an easy way to view a massive amount of clothing in a short amount of time.
Pros:
- Easy to use mobile app that is a free download
- Wide variety of styles, anything from “goth” to “preppy” to “vintage”
- The Instagram-style platform is easy to use and navigate
- Size inclusive
Cons:
- Shipping items still has a large carbon footprint
St. Vincent de Paul’s Dig & Save
This warehouse-style building in the Bram’s Addition side of Madison is not for the faint at heart. As opposed to a traditional thrift store with rows of clothes on hangers, Dig & Save has wooden pallet-sized bins of clothing. Digging through the bins you will find kids’ clothes, winter coats, jeans, t-shirts and anything else you could imagine. The clothes you find are then weighed, with a “pay by the pound” checkout process.
I went to Dig & Save last week, and all the energy of the search came back to me. Digging through piles upon piles of clothes is a thrill, especially when you find some of your favorite clothes. I’ve found major fashion brands, such as Chanel, Urban Outfitters and Free People at Dig & Save, at a fantastic price point. However, the frustration easily builds, as looking through an entire bin may not yield any finds. The time commitment is high, with the potential to not find anything you may like or in your size.
Pros:
- This store is extremely affordable (around $1 per pound)
- There is a wide variety of items, with anything from kid’s clothes to shoes (even home goods)
Cons:
- It’s hard to find anything you’re “looking for”, as bins are not sorted by size or type
Garage Sales
Spring and summer are prime garage sale times throughout the city of Madison. Being an avid “saler” myself, I love scouring the city through the summer times, looking for people selling their goodies. This is an unreliable source of clothing for the summer, but I have found some of my best and favorite pieces by biking around searching for garage sales. Most garage sales are affordable, and I’ve also found that most sellers are open to a decent offer. This is a super fun way to do something outdoors with friends this summer too!
Pros:
- Usually pretty affordable
- Fun weekend activity to “search for treasures”
Cons:
- Only on certain days in the summer
- Unreliable, sales tend to be only one or two days
- Not entirely size-inclusive
