It's National Thrift Shop Day!

[TheresaV]

Hi everyone 👋

With all of the changes going on in the Community in the past couple of weeks, we have almost been too excited to share this day with you. But both myself and @LukasB being avid thrifters, this is something we wouldn't want you to miss 😏

Why? Because today is National Thrift Shop Day! A day which I didn't even yet know existed but which most certainly brings attention to the important issue of excess consumption and our role in making the world a more sustainable place - Starting with your wardrobe! Did you know that the UK was named fourth largest textile waste producer in Europe with a study finding each Briton throwing away about 3.1kg of textiles every year?

And with most of the UK thrift shops supporting local and national charities, there is even more reason to find treasures in your local thrift shop and do good for our planet. But it doesn't stop with clothes - Don't forget that you can also recycle your old devices (for example with O2 Recycle) and do many other things that support a more sustainable lifestyle. Want more ideas on how you can join the Recycle Revolution? Check out our thread for World Recycling Day here!

Are you a passionate thrifter? If yes, share your best find(s) with us in the comments!

[LukasB]

Love a good thrift session with @TheresaV 

[Cleoriff]

My sister was an avid thrifter. It amused me initially because she was very well off, married her University boyfriend who went on to create many businesses. Had a house with 7 bedrooms and a 2 acre garden. So at the start I wondered why she made 2 visits a week to thrift shops in Kenilworth, Leamington Stratford and Coventry. She could afford anything at any price but that wasn't her way.

In these thrift shops she could spot a designer outfit from a mile away and would snap up bargains for anything from £3.00 to £20. Then search for tops and scarves to match the outfits she picked up.

I enjoyed going with her when I had time off.

When I went into management and was wearing normal clothes instead of uniform, she had a field day kitting me out in suits from thrift shops.

I knew they were admired as so many of my friends asked me where I had bought them from and how much did they cost? Loved the look on their faces when I said £8.00!

Anyway that started my love of using thrift shops. I have bought some bargains there. Not just clothes but art and statuettes.

3 weeks ago I had a great clear out of my wardrobes. We took about 5 bin bags of clothes, shoes, handbags etc to 5 different charity shops.

My husband sells antiques at certain venues and he has picked up many bargains at thrift shops.

My best find was a ball gown I wore when our little hospital closed. Had it been bought new it would have cost £750. My sister bought it for £35. It was a Ralph Lauren.

So I love a browse round a thrift shop.

PS, As I knew I wouldn't use the ball gown again, I sold it back to my sister. She had it cleaned and sold it to an acquaintance for £400.

[Anonymous]

Can't beat a good bargain. I never pay full price for anything unless I have to. I used to hunt the bargain shops mercilessly but I find they're mostly ladies or older persons clothes.

My olds do car boots most days of the week & are always picking up tons of ****, fixing it then selling it on, so i get a bit of stuff from them.

As for throwing things away.. NEVER! I use my clothes until they get holes in them & even then i'll continue to wear them if it's a favourite, but after that they get ripped up for cloths to service my bikes with. 

[pgn]

Can't beat a good rummage.... I haven't been into one for ages, but used to spend hours in second-hand book shops or at stalls selling used books.

[jonsie]

I did the same but in record shops

[TheresaV]

Great to know that we are all on the same page with thrifting 😊

That ball gown sounds like an amazing find @Cleoriff! I myself have found so many gems in thrift shops, designer clothes and accessories but I think my number one item is a good old blazer. I am obsessed with them and usually search for thrifted oversized men's blazers, they're just so comfortable to wear and usually a lot cheaper and better quality then the ladies' ones as well! My mum used to go thrifting all the time and I always joined her, so I guess I was hooked right from the beginning 😁

I absolutely hate throwing clothes away @Anonymous, I am the same and usually wear them until they literally fall apart. I also always think about any piece of clothing that I am buying to make sure I will really use it. If I am not sure, I never go for it but rather have another sleep over it (and see if it comes up in my dreams 😅)

[TheresaV]

Second hand book shops are another love of mine @pgn. Books so often get overlooked in this but can so easily passed on and read by so many people. And you sometimes come across a little gem that you wouldn't have found otherwise!

I have to say I have never been to a second hand record shop @jonsie but that might be because I am more from the CD era and used to go through the hundreds of stacks of CDs at flea markets 😄

[Mi-Amigo]

A great thread @TheresaV 

Anything which helps people and benefits charities, as Thrift Shops do is a great thing.

Like @pgn I love a rummage among old books. Amazing what bargains and interesting books can be found. Once got a Stephen King horror novel from a Thrift Shop.

As for records, I love old vinyl discs - proper records to me - and Thrift Shops are always worth a look, but I`ve yet to find a rare record in any search.

[jonsie]

The old record shops I went to in my early teen had all the 45's from ex-jukeboxes

They had no centres but you could buy centres for ten a penny back then