Instant Survey: Second Hand Shopping
by Erin Courtenay - Madison, WI on 04. 6.06
Up and coming designers and creative types have taken recycling to the next level with their fashion forward clothing made from reused textiles. From bathing suits to underpants to wedding gowns, today's designers are creating stylish threads using the huge amounts of previously owned fabric available at second hand stores, yard sales and events like Swaporamarama. And for those of us not so clever with a needle and thread, reused clothing still offers innumerable fashion options. Share some of your great finds and tips for successful shopping in our comments section.
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- RE:Fashion Award Winners
- Recycled Cardboard Accessories by Diseno Cartonero
- Techy Jewlery from Repurposed Computer Gear
- Jenny Hwa of Loyale is an Oprah "Leader in Training"





















I've been getting most of my clothes at thrift stores for about 12 years now, even clothes I've used for interviews.
This wasn't much of a change from my childhood, seeing as I often ended up with clothes from my older brother, or from my neighbors' yard sales.
My husband, five-year-old son, and I get all of our clothes at thrift stores. Also, I make a point of wearing things until they wear out. The shirt I'm wearing today is 16 years old!
my favorite shirt i got as a hand me down 17 years ago. i always look for used clothes first but i have trouble finding pants that fit me so i sometimes end up with new pants . when i buy new clothes i try to get the organic cotton fair trade or made in the u.s.a hemp earth friendly crunchy granola happy clothing. and i alwys wear everything till it is to worn out to wear and then i try and use the fabric that is still ok to make something cool or use as rags for cleaning things.
also i try to wash my clothes in a way that will help them last the longest, i use very little soap and i don't wash until they are really dirty. when i can i hang things to dry but i live in a very tiny apartment so it isn't always an option to hang everything.
I buy a lot of my clothing second hand, often ebay and flea market finds. I often have people compliment me on what I am wearing and am asked where I bought it, what it is, etc. Along with the no name $10 dresses I love from the past, I've purchased some great "vintage" pieces from Ferragamo, Oscar de la Renta, YSL, Dior, etc. In fact, I started looking to buy eco-fashion a few years ago and couldn't find the style I was looking for. I had always bought "vintage" here and there, but at that point I began buying the majority of my clothing second hand and became increasingly frustrated that it seemed style and sustainability didn't go together. I learned how to design and make clothes and started the fiftyRX3 project where I have to take a picture of what I wear everyday and break it down by reused, reduced, recycled. The goal is to be 50% sustainable without sacrificing style. Treehugger was nice enough to write about my project/blog which has grown to include Person, Designer, and Store of the Month, monthly recycled projects (like my umbrella dress), eBaybes photos featuring "reused" clothing shot stylishly by the sellers and other tidbits. So, yes, I frequently and happily shop second hand, but am encouraged by the new "eco" brands and am hoping to incorporate more into the wardrobe. I am actually trying to buy nothing new, unless it has some sustainable merit.
How abou the option 'I almost never buy new clothes unless i'm forced at gunpoint?'
I buy all my clothes from secondhand sources, and when I can't find something i like I buy a bedsheet, curtain, fabric whatever and make my own clothes. No sweatshop, no toxic factories and no one else is wearing what I'm wearing!
speakin of reusing textiles, my pal alec makes rad cycle caps that ust about every bike punk in LA wears. He cuts most of his fabric out of thrift store finds, and makes the bills out of earth balance tubs.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibikela/sets/1137268/
those of you in the northeast need to try Garment District in Cambridge, MA. It has a "dollar-a-pound" section that's awesome. i'd say that 80% of my clothes were bought used by the pound. i get compliments all the time...
I recently decided not to buy anything made in sweatshops... and since it's so hard to track where stores manufacture clothing. I basically... only shop second-hand now. At first, I thought it would be COMPLETELY impossible... but I now find that I can find almost anything (including excellent shoes, work clothing, suits) in second-hand stores (oftentimes consignement stores) except underwear....