Hopefully you noticed it was Secondhand September. It’s lovely to see so many people celebrating secondhand in September. Confession I’m a secondhand kind of girl, virtually my entire wardrobe is either second hand or things I bought before 2020 (which is when I started my only buying second hand clothes challenge).
I guess for me the next obvious target would always be books, I’ve always been a bit of a secondhand book person (anyone remember the ‘Book Church’ on Ashley Road in Boscombe) and now I am really good about nearly always only buying secondhand books (although it can be hard – if anyone has a copy of Wisteria by Adalyn Grace they no longer want!) I’m also passing them on again once I’ve read them, 95% of books I read I’m not going to read again.
Originally launched by Oxfam to put the spotlight on fast fashion, Secondhand September has grown and now encourages sustainable choices not just in clothing, but in all aspects of consumer life.
Secondhand September invited us to rethink how we shop for all sorts of different items from home goods to electronics, furniture to toys and more. There are all sorts of places to look for a preloved gem from charity shops (my personal go-to) to online marketplaces and community swaps. Buying preloved helps us to reduce waste, save money, and lower the carbon footprint of manufacturing and shipping new products.
I’m not perfect (although don’t tell my children that!) not everything I buy is secondhand but it is now my first choice to check if I can get something secondhand – whether that’s a carpet cleaner (yes I did) or craft materials (hello Dorset Scrapstore). It sometime takes a little bit more time but it gives you a bigger thrill when you get what you want.
Every secondhand choice contributes to a more sustainable, circular economy. What’s your go to for secondhand purchases? And is there anything you struggle with?
