Cover Section: Reduce, Recycle, Re-Wear

Aside from being cheap and trendy, here’s how Columbus resale clothing is helping save the planet

By Shelby Metzger / Photos by Jordy Middlebrooks / Story Design by Tori Smith

From electric cars to composting, there are countless ways communities have begun to consciously try to better the environment, especially as we become more aware of our negative impacts on the planet. But oftentimes, you can be sustainable and not even know it. Enter: thrifting.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 11.3 million tons of textiles were sent to landfills in the United States in 2018, the most recent year for which data is available. The World Economic Forum states it takes roughly 700 gallons of water to produce a single cotton shirt. In short, a large share of the waste polluting our land and ocean and the drain on its respective resources is a result of the abundance of clothes being produced and subsequently thrown away.

Lisa Goldsand, the founder of Circular Thrift in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on creating a solution to this growing problem. Goldsand has dedicated her time to bettering the earth through reducing the environmental burden and waste produced by the creation and purchase of new clothing. Circular Thrift, a local startup, promotes the circulation of used clothing within the community by offering drop off points, home pickups, and pop-up events for people to donate, purchase, or swap used garments.

“The whole model is based on the premise that by making it convenient and fun to obtain preowned clothing, this startup can help to reduce the consumption of new items,” she said. “And thus, if it's repeated, it can also reduce the total greenhouse gas emissions, water, and energy that are associated with clothing production.”

Thrifting, or otherwise reusing clothing, can have a large impact on the waste created by producing new garments, according to Goldsand.

“Thrifting is really important for the environment. 65 to 70 percent of the resources which go into the clothing that we wear come from two parts of the process. The first part is getting the raw materials which, for 80 percent of what we wear, means growing cotton or drilling for oil, which, of course, is polyester. And then making the fabric itself which requires water, energy and chemical use…” Goldsand explained. “And so because today there really are not great end of life options for post-consumer textile waste – the industry needs time to scale – the best thing for us to do for the environment is to try and use what's already been produced as many times as possible before we use natural resources to make more fabric.”

Columbus Vintage Thrift, owned by Jordan Hensley, is yet another business making strides in the thrifting industry while simultaneously protecting the environment.

After being out of work during the COVID-19 shutdown, Hensley and his fiancée started the business together, selling vintage items and clothing at various pop up sales and food truck festivals, as well as out of their physical location at Peddler’s Junction in Lancaster, Ohio.

“We kind of do everything from Victorian era clothing and furniture and photos to midcentury, modern furniture and clothing, upwards to the more current nostalgia of the ‘80s, the ‘90s, early Y2K clothing, toys, so on and so forth,” Hensley explained.

For Hensley, buying second-hand is a way to positively contribute to our planet while simultaneously giving high quality garments a second chance at life.

“When you buy second-hand and instead of buying into this kind of fast fashion idea, I mean, that stuff just ends up at a landfill, right, or on the side of the road because no one wants it,” he said. “So I think when you are buying second-hand, you're taking what someone may deem trash and make it your own treasure.”

The increasing popularity of fast fashion is a significant contributor to the abundance of low-quality clothing and subsequent negative environmental impact of the clothing industry, something Goldsand and Hensley both agree on.

According to Goldsand, the increase in low-quality clothing in circulation puts a strain on charities in the United States, which sort donations and deem what is acceptable for domestic resale. Goods that aren’t sold domestically are bailed and shipped to developing countries. The lower quality items sell for less, impacting the compensation of the workers at the second-hand markets. Much of the low-quality clothing ends up in landfills or is incinerated.

“There really is a significant negative impact of the increase of volume in quality and in poor quality clothing through the whole ecosystem,” she said.

Hensley also acknowledges the issues that arise with purchasing from low-quality manufacturers.

“These clothes and things are being manufactured in warehouses in such a fast-paced way that quality control kind of goes out the window,” he said.

A possible solution to this wide-spread issue lies in shifting the view of those suspicious of buying second-hand. While data shows that consumers are increasingly engaging in thrifting or otherwise reusing clothing, there’s still progress to be made. There is a stigma many still hold when it comes to reusing clothes others have worn, a stigma Goldsand is fighting to eradicate.

“Really anything we can do to destigmatize reuse and also just to make it more convenient for people who would otherwise buy new, that really can move the needle in terms of the environmental impact of fashion,” Goldsand said.

Circular Thrift plays a large part in Goldsand’s effort to normalize reusing clothing. She is beginning to see a new customer base that is learning the benefits of reduced consumption and are increasingly open to the idea of thrifting due to the convenience and hyperlocal model of her business.

“One of the goals of Circular Thrift is to make sure that clothing is used as many times as possible, really by making thrift appealing to the consumers that may not be committed to shopping at a traditional thrift store today,” she said.

For the creators of Columbus Vintage Thrift, helping to create a cleaner planet is an overwhelming plus to second-hand shopping, but the benefits don’t stop there.

“Not only is it environmentally friendly, but… it crosses so many generations. It’s a way for so many different people that come from different backgrounds, ages, whatever it may be to get together and enjoy the same things,” Hensley said. “I mean, I have a seven year old who's super into Pokemon and Power Rangers and all this, and that's what was big when I was a child. And so it's really cool for us to be able to connect to something that I can look back and relate to that he can also relate to.”

While staying green, thrifters can also find meaning behind each new treasure, keeping connections alive across generations.

“The connection part of it too is, that's what's most important for me,” Hensley said. “I don't want to say it's more important than the environmental aspect, I mean, that is also very important and part of it, but if I can be good to the planet and also have a real good time with my kids and everyone gets along and kind of relates. That's a win-win in my book.”

To learn more, visit @ColumbusVintageExchange and @CircularThriftLLC on Instagram