By Felicia Czochanski
The holiday season is back in full swing – and sustainable holiday gifting is top of mind. It feels like we were just here less than a year ago, splurging on ourselves and treating those we love in line with the holiday spirit. If your wallet hasn’t had time to catch up since the last holiday, know you’re not alone and that Goodwill has your back. The secret to great sustainable gifting on a budget? Thrifting new with tags items for a fraction of the price.
When most people think of thrift shopping, the first word that comes to mind is “second hand.” However, second hand can mean a variety of things. Items can be well-loved, worn once, or even brand new with tags. It’s the latter that gets forgotten, because sometimes you have to go through a few racks before finding a thrift store’s buried treasure. But once you find it, the excitement makes it hard to forget.
I’ve been able to find some amazing never worn, brand new with tags items at Goodwill. Depending on your location, your Goodwill may be a recipient of samples from a runway show, or unsold goods from designers or boutiques at the end of a season. I once walked into a Goodwill to find an entire rack of new with tags Rachel Zoe off the runway attire – clothing worth hundreds of dollars a piece but being sold for less than $20. Some of my favorite statement pieces have come from Goodwill this way – either through those needle in a haystack designer donations, or through donations from other Goodwill shoppers of clothes they never got around to wearing by the end of a season. Not only do I love shopping for myself, but I love shopping for gifts too.
Shopping at Goodwill for the holidays will enable you to make your budget stretch further to gift incredible items for a true fraction of their retail price. The added bonus? You’re shopping sustainably, which means you’re helping Goodwill save hundreds of thousands of tons of clothes, books, and home goods from landfills, and instead diverting them to people who will enjoy them.
In preparation for the holiday season, I took a trip to my new favorite Goodwill to see what amazing new with tags items I could find. The result? So many showstoppers, both for myself and those I’ll be gifting them to this month. Here are some of the awesome deals I found on my last trip!
- Aritzia Wilfred Tie-Front Skirt, New With Tags
The tag says $128, but Goodwill price was $18.99. I snatched this one up as soon as I saw it, knowing it would be the perfect piece for my own holiday outfits, or a gift for my sister if it didn’t end up fitting me. For a gift, I would pair this with an accessory and wrap it all up with a bow!
- Reiss Silk Blazer, New With Tags
This one… was such an incredible deal. The blazer is brand new with tags that say its retail value is $425. I grabbed it for $29.99 – which is pricier than what I normally pay at Goodwill, but it’s basically the tax of what I would’ve paid buying it full price. This is an amazing gift for my friend who dresses up for work and it’s a perfect day-to-night staple piece.
- RBX Polka Dot Sports Bra, New With Tags
As soon as I saw this was new with tags, I scooped it up immediately. This is something I would have definitely bought one of my friends in a department store for the holidays knowing we always gift each other athleisure outfits. A bonus was that it had a green tag on a green sale day! Meaning I scored it for just $2.99. I’m going to keep looking for a matching pair of shorts or capris to complete the gift!
Is there an amazing new with tags find you came across at Goodwill and can’t stop thinking about? Tag us in your best finds on Instagram @goodwillintl for a chance to be featured in a future blog!
