The world rotates faster and faster and in the same way, the production system of the fashion industry is going through a process of acceleration never seen before. With the arrival of Fast Fashion, buying and throwing became fashionable, bringing devastating consequences for the planet and the people who are subjected to working in subhuman conditions to reach these high production volumes. Under this situation, more responsible, and environmentally friendly consumption alternatives are born, and buying second-hand has become a truly revolutionary act.
Stop buying is not exactly the solution, but buying less and more intelligently. Therefore, here we will talk about some advantages, myths, and truths about second-hand clothes as a more responsible consumption alternative.
The first thing we must understand is the difference between second-hand clothing and vintage clothing, although both types of garments have in common the fact that they are previously used by someone else, they are totally different markets. Vintage clothing is characterized by clothing from years ago that preserves the qualities of a special time, while second-rate clothing is that type of clothing that we stop using and take out of our closets.
Fun fact: Technically, a garment is considered vintage if it is 20 years old or older, when it is over 50 years old, it is classified as an antique.
Advantages of Buying Used Clothes
- By giving a garment a second chance, you prevent it from ending up in the garbage and, therefore, in our fields. It is a way to extend its cycle of use, reuse and recycle, reducing the high levels of pollution that we face and the negative consequences that this brings to the environment.
- When you buy second-hand, you greatly reduce your carbon footprint. Although costs are incurred for washing and replacing buttons or seams, the use of natural resources and energy remains minimal.
- When you buy second-hand items such as clothes, you promote and help generate a circular economy. In other words, goods that did not incur a cost of materials and resources, but generate economic development, re-enter the market.
- When you buy second-hand clothes, like our Garage Sale, for example, you buy clothes in perfect condition at cheaper prices. This way you save your pocket and also the planet.
- When you buy a garment like the ones in our Vintage Collections, the only thing you accumulate is unique treasures loaded with history and a lot of personalities. These garments are usually exclusive and difficult to find, you will hardly see someone else wearing the same.
- These vintage pieces are also of better quality, that is why they have lasted and will accompany you for a longer time in the closet.
Myths of Buying Second Hand Clothes
- Wearing second-rate clothes is unhygienic. Do you know how many people try on garments in a conventional store? Too many! And in these processes, the clothes also get dirty and acquire bad odors. Do you wash the clothes you buy in stores before putting them on? You most likely won’t
- The second clothes smell bad. It may be normal for some garments that have been stored for a long time to retain a particular smell, but this is something that disappears completely as you use and wash it several times.
- Secondhand clothes are old and ugly. Curation is the most important thing, that’s why many second-hand stores take care of selecting truly authentic and different garments, with all the potential to fall in love, worse the most important thing, that they are in perfect condition. If it’s new to you, it’s the only thing that matters.
- Second-class clothes are charged with bad energy. It is true that clothes are charged with energy, but when you take a garment and rescue it, all this energy it may have becomes positive, especially because you are doing good to the planet. In our store we put so much love into this process, we go through a clinic where we mend seams, buttons, wash them, that everything bad is left behind.
Why Buy a Second When I Can Buy Something New?
Yes, we normally associate buying something second-hand with a lack of purchasing power and therefore of status, but the world is changing and it is important to understand that above material things and our desires there are more important things that affect us collectively. like the well-being of the planet and the people. So if you are interested in starting a change in your consumption habits and trying new alternatives such as second-hand clothes, changing this chip can be a great starting point. If we have convinced you, click here and choose your wedding dress.
The Truth About Used Clothes
Here we leave you some facts that you probably do not know and that show a reality that we can change through new alternatives such as second-hand clothes.
Fast Fashion companies produce more than 100 billion garments per year, making the fashion industry the second most polluting after oil. This happens because too many collections are produced per year, causing consumers to buy more and think less.
This effect also has the consequence that we get bored faster with our clothes and throw more into the trash, or that many clothes go out of style so quickly that they are not even sold in stores and end up directly in garbage cans. In the United States alone, more than 16 million tons per year are thrown away, even though much of this clothing can be recycled.
To keep your clothes fresh and radiant, you will select the most colorful bridal bouquet. To your advantage on your wedding day, you will certainly go to a professional for the realization of a beautiful wedding hairstyle. But every conceivable accessory is nothing without a central element of your D-day look: your wedding dress!
This garment should be your first concern because it will define the rest of the elements of your look. But here’s the thing: is it better to buy, rent, or have your wedding dress made? You have been working on this question for weeks without being able to answer it.
To help you with your choice, we present here the advantages and disadvantages of these three options.
1. Buy your Wedding Dress
The first advantage of buying your wedding dress in the store is buying a new dress that only you will wear and that you can keep for the rest of your life! There are many stores where you can try on a large number of models of larger wedding dresses or in any other way. Specialized vendors will be at your disposal to advise and guide you in choosing the model that best suits your needs.
The downside to a lace wedding dress or any other store-bought material is that you will have to choose from pre-made models in standard shapes and sizes. It will be possible for you to make some alterations, but you will not be able to completely reinvent your dress to suit you in every way.
2. Rent Your Wedding Dress
The obvious advantage of renting is the price. Renting a wedding dress is obviously cheaper than buying it. Since this is a once-in-a-lifetime garment that will end up in a closet at a certain location, it may be very wise to rent the party outfit. The rental price generally includes cleaning of the dress, as well as any minor alterations and insurance. Remember to read the conditions of use of the wedding dress rental company to avoid unpleasant surprises and do not forget to return your garment on the indicated date!
The downside to renting is, of course, that you cannot keep your wedding dress simple or sophisticated. For some women, the dress is a precious keepsake that they want to keep with them at all costs. Others are not comfortable with the idea of wearing a suit that has already been worn. Some stores offer rental of new dresses at a slightly higher price than second-hand dresses.
3. Choose Custom Option and Have it Made
An original wedding dress made especially for you and only for you, that’s what makes you dream. There are indeed many benefits to using a seamstress for your wedding dress. A dress made to measure according to your morphology, the style of your event, and of course your wishes, the inspirations that you may have gathered here and there before your wedding. You will have a series of appointments with your designer who, listening to you, will be able to make various proposals until you find the model that suits you best. Next, various garnishes will be made to make your suit fit like a glove!
The downside to this type of service is its cost. It is the most expensive of the three options, as it requires many hours of work. You will also have to take into account the manufacturing time, about 6 months, and therefore proceed well in advance if you are tempted by this service. You will also have to be well informed about your clothing designer and choose a person who is able to understand your tastes, produce quality work and with whom the feeling passes from the first moments.