Children outgrow clothing so quickly, especially babies and toddlers. It's possible to ease the cost of purchasing new outfits as children grow. In the r/Anticonsumption community, one Redditor described how some friends started a group share for children's clothing.
"They have boxes of clothes sorted by age and seasonal use, then trade with one another when their kids grow out of them," they said.
Anti-consumption is a social movement that goes beyond saving money, although that's an important aspect for many adopters of this practice. The object is to reduce waste.
Over 2.2 billion tons of waste is produced each year, with that number expected to increase to 3.7 billion tons by 2050, according to the World Bank. Of waste products, 37% of them end up in landfills, while 31% are openly dumped. The rest is either recycled, composted, or incinerated. In China alone, 26 million tons of clothing make its way to landfills each year.
At the Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site, 800 trucks arrive daily to dump what results in 2.2 million tons of garbage each year, according to the Guardian.
"The wind whipped trash into the air like snow as 100-tonne tractors compressed couches and cookie boxes and everything in between into thick strata that contain the full record of modern life. The result: a dry tomb of waste that will endure for millennia," wrote Chip Colwell, lecturer in anthropology at the University of Colorado, for the Guardian.
Unfortunately, many people still buy into the fast-fashion trend, even though quality is low and labor practices are controversial. Places like Trashie and ThredUp are fighting consumerism and keeping clothing and other products out of landfills. In some cases, users can earn cash or store credit for returning gently used clothing.
People in the Reddit comments agreed that a group clothing swap is an effective way to get gently used clothes. In addition, clothing that has been outgrown by your children can be given a new life, keeping your closets cleaner and more organized.
One commenter wrote, "A group of my friends accidentally started this. As in, no organizing; it's just happening."
|
Should it be illegal to throw away old clothes?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Heck yes 👍 Another replied, "With how expensive kids' clothes can be, the savings really adds up."
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
