Monday, August 13, 2007

Green your clothes

Ok so I'm probably not the best person to be writing about this, but I have too since I'm desperately trying to change my habits about clothing and going green in the process.

Normally if I'm having a good shopping day, I can find clothes brand new or cheaper then let's say the Goodwill. But obviously when I NEED clothes or NEED something, that is NEVER the case. I recently have been going to the Goodwill a lot more though to sort of make myself more aware of the selection as well as the prices.
I haven't found a whole lot of good stuff, but I did on vacation. I found 2 pairs of board shorts for myself (one brand new w/tags, other one Roxy) for less then $10 for both. Mind you, last year I bought a Roxy board short for over $30 for the one pair. I don't usually spend that sort of money on that stuff, but if it fits and I like it I might break down and purchase something that outrageously priced!!

What am I suggesting then?
Well, don't buy brand new all the time. (although I would say please buy new undies/bras/socks that just is a bit too much for me to imagine buying used--eeewww!!!) If you do buy new, buy American made (thanks Jen for the tip!). Or if you do buy new try to buy it made out of organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, any natural materials.
But I do recommend buying used as much as possible. Here are some recommendations...

Goodwill:
The Goodwill is a good place, but you do have to really look or search for good stuff. Its there though. I live in a fairly nice area and the clothes donated at our Goodwill are surprisingly name brands a lot of the time. Their kids clothes are something to be desired though. Boy clothes are usually not in good shape by the time its donated. I haven't really ever found anything good for Noah, but GREAT place to find toys, books, bikes, etc. The best thing from buying from the Goodwill is you are helping others with the $$ used to buy the stuff. They use it to help people find jobs and that is always a good thing!

Consignment Shops:
I used to consign Noah's clothes back in the day to get some extra cash fast. It wasn't very lucrative, but I did feel better about getting some money for my good clothes. Consignment shops are really picky about their clothes. They don't take anything stained, ripped, missing buttons/snaps, usually only take good brand clothes and so on. So you can be assured you are getting something good for your dollar. However, they can be expensive at times. But if you are dying to get Name brand clothes and don't put your kids in anything less, then this is a great option. Check them out!!!!
Don't forget that there are consignment shops for us adults too. I've found some are picky are aren't so picky, but you can find some good deals & brands for adults too. Great places to check out for more formal clothes. Why buy a fancy dress you wear once and then it sits in your closet. Why not get rid of it now and consign it & make some cash today?
**Keep in mind a lot of consignment shops especially adult clothing stores often do not give you money upon consignment. They usually keep it for so long and then send you your share of the money when it sells.**

Obviously there are many other places like the Salvation Army, church thrift stores, misc community thrift stores, etc that you can find used clothes.

I will admit I REALLY had to change my mindset about going to just the Goodwill. I mean a lot of people shopping in there come off as poor/homeless looking, but who am I to judge someone like that? I'm breaking Jesus's most important commandment--Love your neighbor as yourself or in a more simple term--Love God, Love People.
So I had to push aside my thinking and just dive into finding some good deals....
Remember its not just about going green, its a lot about helping small businesses, your local economy and people on a larger scale.

So consider it! (just know I'm still going to keep scouring the shelves for great bargains because I need to keep gathering that new w/tag stuff to send off to the mission field)

Oh and don't forget the always worth mentioning Yard Sales. I haven't found any good clothes for Noah, but have found they are good for baby clothes a lot.

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