To quote Bea Johnson, fellow working mom who inspired me to strive for a Zero Waste Home, “Zero Waste is not only good for the environment, it’s good for your wallet!”
In her post, The Zero Waste Closet, Bea says that the Zero Waste lifestyle is sadly associated with careless / carefree clothing.
BUT it doesn’t have to be! I love this post by Greenopedia, “Why Second-Hand Fashion is First Class Shopping.” See links at the bottom of her posts for online consignment shopping.
Way #3 – Go for a Zero Waste Closet by shopping consignment shops, online or local.
To keep my hard-earned dollars in the local community, I have shopped in consignment shops in every area I have lived from D.C. to Boston, upstate NY to Western MA. My favorite consignment shop in Black Rock unfortunately closed its doors last fall. I loved that I was able to find professional looking clothes with designer labels for a fraction of the cost.
A few years ago, Marilyn and I had success in teaching our children the virtues and values of finding great quality clothes at thrift shops. But now she’s got two older teenagers and I have one, too. Picky and choosy.
Enter Plato’s Closet. I went to the one in Orange, CT, just a short 20-25 drive. One of my daughter’s friends recently turned us onto this great consignment shop filled with fashionable, designer clothing and shoes for both men and women.
Plato’s Closet in Orange, CT – my experience after two visits:
- friendly and approachable – on way in – greeted hello, on way out – asked if we found everything ok, and getting a fitting room was easy, too.
- well-cared for, clean and organized – displays are current
- busy – people were coming in selling as well as buying stylish clothing and shoes
- suits multiple tastes – salesperson who rang up my order the first time told me that she is a college student from NYC and loves working there for the diverse styles (she added, the 20% discount is another bonus!)
- great music while you shop! – makes for an enjoyable experience
Below, see the 5 items my husband, my daughter and I got; total: $48.
If you have a favorite, local consignment shop, please share.
Frugal and sustainable keeps the green in your pocket while being green, both for the sake of the next generation.
~Aimee, TFF
Two Frugal Fairfielders 
There is also a Plato’s Closet in Danbury in the same shopping plaza as Walmart and Marshall’s, I believe. Because their radio commercials made it seem that it was a store only for teenagers and younger people, I never bothered to check it out. Now that I see that it has something for everyone, I will make a point to visit it.