The saying goes that one man's trash is another man's treasure, but in this instance, one store's trash was one dumpster diver's absolute haul.
"Did I find 30 pairs of brand new $120 boots in a shoe store dumpster? Do all of my friends now have said pair of boots? Yes on all fronts," the original poster said on the r/DumpsterDiving subreddit.
The boots, which many users recognized as a Steve Madden product, currently retail for $109.95.
Not only were the shoes in mint condition, but they also came in sizes 6 to 12, much to the benefit of the OP's friends.
That the shoes even made it to a dumpster in one piece shocked one user.
"I'm honestly surprised they didn't destroy them first. Some companies have that as a policy," they said.
Regardless, the find wasn't just a win for the original poster — it was also a win for the environment.
According to the United Nations, the fashion industry accounts for 2-8% of global carbon emissions. Per shoe company Vivobarefoot, about 22 billion pairs of shoes end up in landfills annually, taking thousands of years to decompose and releasing planet-warming gasses as they break down.
At the very least, the Redditor and their friends saved the boots from going to waste, as they likely would've ended up in a dump.
Much of the comment section was filled with pleas and offers to purchase the extra shoes. Others complimented the OP on the find — one that was especially lucky considering that they had discovered the boots after just their third time dumpster diving.
"What a crazy, awesome find! I would be riding that high for months. Years, maybe," said a commenter.
"Wow I can't believe how stores throw this stuff out but I'm glad you were able to scoop it up!" said another.
"Where do you guys find all of this awesome stuff? I'm Jelly I go every other night and all I find is candles and makeup," one user bemoaned.
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