Oh, Did We have fun!

At last week’s FUNdraiser we did in fact, have lots of fun. 

We met new folks, found great pre-loved designer pieces at a fraction of the original cost, and saved items from the waste stream. While we are certain that the Hermes pocketbook, fine cashmere sweaters, Tiffany jewelry, Ferragamo shoes, Stella McCartney jacket, and the Alexander McQueen scarf we spotted won't end up in the garbage, many items in our families’ closets sometimes do.

The Wellesley community is very committed to donating to Cradles to Crayons and other important non profits which is very generous.  However, many don't necessarily think about “waste” when we are shopping for clothing. Our community is getting more mindful of reducing the use of plastic bags, straws, etc., and increasing the use of litter-less lunches and water bottles. However, those are not the only disposable items in our daily lives. Let's be real, fast fashion is not a friend to mother nature.

A high amount of energy is expended in factories to churn out these products using a great deal of water, electricity, and natural resources. In addition, the majority of fast fashion is made from synthetic compounds which can take hundreds of years to decompose. This means that the shirt we got for a deal and wore only a few times that is disposed of ends up sitting in landfills and letting off mass amounts of carbon dioxide. 

Keep America Beautiful shared some staggering facts recently. Are you sitting?

• The amount of clothing thrown away each year in the United States increased by 43% between 2003 and 2013. 
• In Massachusetts alone, residents and businesses throw away more than 250,000 tons of textiles and clothing each year.  
• At an average cost of $70 for every ton of trash disposed, municipalities and businesses pay about $16 million to send this valuable material to landfills and waste combustors every year.
• Only about 15% of unwanted textiles are donated to charities or placed in clothing collection bins. The rest winds up in the trash.   

Buy pre-loved for yourself and others. Re-sell, share and donate items that don't fit, don't love, or you don't have room for. Take items that are stained, broken, or are missing pieces and donate in the RDF’s (dump) textiles area so they can be baled and sold on the global commodities market or consumed locally by textile converters who make it into new items such as insulation, carpet padding and rags.

Stay tuned for more pre-loved fashion FUN!