Participate in the Circular Economy This Earth Day

By Felicia Czochanski Bisaro

When it comes to shopping at Goodwill^®, you can have more than one good reason! It might be because you love fashion as self-expression, but don’t love paying retail price for fleeting trends or designer price tags. It might be because browsing the racks and shelves gives you inspiration for how to pull things together, be it an outfit or a part of your home — sometimes you have to see it out of place for the vision to manifest. It could also be because you know that shopping at regular retail stores not only fuels fast fashion demand but also ends up doing more damage to the environment than one might think. Shopping secondhand at a nonprofit thrift store like Goodwill can not only provide the opportunity to find home goods treasures and designer styles at bargain pricing, but it also keeps the circular economy going, making sure perfectly good (and sometimes brand new) items stay out of landfills and go back into use with a new owner. On April 22nd, Earth Day is the perfect moment to remind ourselves of that.

This year’s Earth Day theme is “Our Power Our Planet.” The awareness day promotes volunteering in ways that help the Earth and giving back to the community through eco-friendly causes. Many people may not know that Goodwill is not only a household name thrift store, but it’s also a nonprofit organization. This means that every donation you drop off and purchase you walk out the door with not only benefits the environment, but also the community you live in.

As we think about how secondhand shopping can make a positive impact on the Earth, it’s important to remind yourself that just making one small change a day can turn into a major difference over time. This could be walking to the store instead of driving if it’s within a short distance. Or it could be cleaning out your closet and unused home items and dropping them off at Goodwill to go back into the world in another way. This is the power of the circular economy, which keeps items in use and fuels creativity and impact. Plus, if you’re like me, you love the thrill of finding a needle in a haystack treasure — just like the time I went to the Goodwill bins and came across a brand-new pair of Stuart Weitzman heels, in my size. Now, what are the chances!

To spark inspiration ahead of your next thrifting trip at Goodwill, check out some of the finds from fellow Goodwill shoppers below!

Photo: @ourfifthhouse

Don’t skip the men’s section. Silk ties and scarves will always be in style. Now that menswear and women’s wear are having a crossover moment, I love the way this shopper styled the designer ties she found as handbag accessories.

Photo: @taethecreative

Athletic wear is always in stock at Goodwill — with finds like this adorable golf outfit above just waiting to be plucked off the rack. You don’t have to be at the Masters to dress like it out on the green yourself.

Photo: @idkivy

Finally, as you check out all that Goodwill has to offer, don’t forget to browse the shelves and bins. You might find something like this kite, which your kids will love playing with all weekend long!