Image: Bethan via Flickr
Across Australia vintage and second-hand lovers have donned their favourite pre-loved t-shirts to promote and support sustainable fashion.
In an effort to bridge the gap between caring for people and caring for the planet, Salvos Stores held their first inaugural Vintage Tee Day last Friday on March 22, with great success according to CEO Allen Dewhirst.
“It takes 2700 litres of water to produce one cotton t-shirt and this is an alarming statistic. We wanted to educate people about the importance of recycling and just how much their small involvement can help the environment,” Mr Dewhirst said.
While most Australians are familiar with the Salvation Army Red Shield Door Knock Appeal to raise money for the disadvantaged, Vintage Tee Day was about reducing carbon footprints.
Mr Dewhirst said that salvos stores recycle over 55,000 tonnes of goods and re-sells 6.39million items of clothing every year.
“Humanitarianism and environmentalism absolutely go hand and hand – you’ve got to care for the people and the planet at the same time,” he said.
Forest Hill Salvos Store manager Bree Miller said her staff enjoyed wearing colourful t-shirts instead of their usual uniform.
“It was fun to dress up and see the shameful band tees staff had been hiding in their closets for decades! We saw a few people looking for second-hand t-shirts for their own events at work and school and encouraged many more to buy and wear vintage on the day.”
Mr Dewhirst believes that the stigma once associated with op shops is now obsolete.
“We now have separate vintage sections. More and more young people are coming into our stores. It used to be just for dress up, but now for the sake of recycling and sustainability, younger generations are tending to wear vintage. They’re helping the environment, and look quite chic.
“At the same time, though, we also want to have low priced goods for people who can’t afford to buy more expensive things. That’s still very important,” he said.
Salvos Stores have been stocking a range of clothing, accessories and other pre-loved goods since 1886. All profits from the 210 stores across Australian go directly to the Salvation Army to assist in funding social programs and support offered to the marginalized and disadvantaged.
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