With the fashion industry being the second largest consumer of the world’s clean water supply, it is crucial to find solutions. Uptown Cheapskate in Tampa Palms is doing its part to combat the fast fashion crisis.
Uptown Cheapskate is a thrift store where you can sell and buy used clothing. You can clear out your wardrobe in exchange for quick cash or 25% more in in-store credit.
“Thrift stores have always been around, and I feel like they will always be around,” says Amber Watt, the owner of Uptown Cheapskate. “They only serve good in the community. They are able to offer substantial discounts to people who need it, and I think there will always be people who need it.”
Choosing to buy clothing at thrift stores allows you to find one-of-a-kind pieces that are different from the mass-made items you would normally find in a fast-fashion store.
The steps to sell your clothes to Uptown Cheapskate are: First, clean out your closet of any unwanted, like-new, freshly laundered and stylish clothes, shoes or accessories. Bring them in a bin or hamper preferably and transfer them in the bins once you arrive. Then, the staff at the store will sort through your clothes and pay you on the spot. It’s a very simple process.
“You’re rehoming something that somebody else didn’t want and you can cater your wardrobe in a way that makes your wardrobe different from others,” says Breanna Carter, who manages the thrift store. “You’re going to have really custom, unique pieces that other people might not have.”
Selling and buying clothing at thrift stores such as Uptown Cheapskate not only helps you save money and boost your personal style but helps prevent clothing from ending up in landfills. You are also guaranteed quality clothing that will last years, compared to current fast fashion brands, which are being worn very few times before being thrown away.
Clothing production is the third biggest manufacturing industry after the automotive and technology industries. Textile production contributes more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined, according to a report by the U.K. House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee.
All of the clothes not being sold by fast-fashion brands are either thrown out or burned, not donated. As a result, around $500 billion worth of clothes is lost every year.
Many fast-fashion brands also do not pay their workers a living wage while having them work ridiculous hours in bad conditions, the British audit found.
Secondhand clothes have a positive social and environmental impact. They reduce carbon emissions, save lots of resources, water and energy. They also prevent old clothing from ending up in landfills or incinerators.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhile attempting to make a difference regarding the fast-fashion crisis can be overwhelming, simple changes can end up making a big impact. Choosing to shop second-hand is an easy way to do what’s right for your wallet and our planet.
Now that the weather is heating up, Uptown Cheapskate is seeking summer styles. Sell and buy your summer wardrobe now.
Credits
Reporter: Meredith Lamm
Anchor: Julio Martinez
Show editor: Lauren Siegal
Web editors: Rachael Schroeder & Sybrice Tucker
