#secondhandseptember

Currently, 100 billion items of clothing are produced per year, or 60% more than fifteen years ago. So-called fast or disposable fashion, commonly called “fast-fashion”, corresponds to the renewal of collections in an intensive and massive manner, while cutting back on costs and quality. Thus, every week, new collections are offered in stores at ever lower prices.

The environmental impact is obviously enormous: 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 emitted each year, 25% of pesticides used in the world due to cotton cultivation alone, harmful dyeing techniques, 4% of available drinking water used by textile production!

1. EMPTY YOUR CUPBOARDS

Do you want an organized and tidy closet? Sorting out the clothes you no longer wear will free up space in your wardrobe, while putting you in a positive frame of mind. Before donating your clothes to charity shops, make sure they are clean and stain-free. If you're looking to make some extra cash, there are plenty of options for selling clothes through apps or by attending neighborhood garage sales or closet clearance events.

• Vinted & Le Bon Coin (basic but still effective)
• giant closet clearances, like Violette Sauvage : September 17 in Paris, but there are regular ones elsewhere in France, such as in Bordeaux, Rouen, Lille or Lyon.
• Garage sales and Swaps and Flea Markets flourish between May and September in Paris as elsewhere in France, always a good opportunity to part with what no longer serves us, in a friendly market atmosphere. The list of dates is available on the Paris Town Hall website (check with your town hall to find out the dates for your city if you are not in Paris). Elsewhere too, you will probably find information at the Town Hall.
• Creative and associative resources and recycling to donate (free) all types of objects and textiles and promote the circular economy. everything must of course be clean and in good general condition. The Valoristes, volunteers or in reintegration, collect, repair, check, sew, sort and put the clothes in the store.
• Redonner.fr is a great initiative to easily collect and reuse clothes, in exchange for discount vouchers on tastefully selected sustainable brands. In 2021, Redonner aimed to accelerate its development by expanding the number of partner brands and diversifying its responsible sales offering in order to exceed the mark of 50 tonnes of clothing collected and recycled.

2. BUY A SECOND HAND

Buying second-hand helps reduce the overall demand for new clothing to be produced. Whether it's going to your local charity shop or swapping clothes on an app, it will help extend the life of items that would otherwise end up in landfill. Never bought second-hand before? #SecondHandSeptember is the perfect time to try.

Vintage stores will also allow you to acquire old pieces that you won't see worn by everyone and to give yourself a unique look.

• Kiloshop everywhere in France
• Tilt Vintage, etc…, and other Vintage boutiques, rue de la Verrerie and surrounding areas in the Marais in Paris.
• Imparfaite , the ideal site for buying a selection of ultra-edgy vintage fashion online. You will discover, among other things, my selection of Pure Vintage jewelry.

3. RECYCLE YOUR OLD CLOTHES

Making something new out of something old! It’s one of the pillars of BLISS and even my brand of manufacturing! All the jewelry offered on the site is either created from second-hand items (old, vintage, dormant stock, broken, etc.) or vintage. It is a commitment that I wish to develop and promote.

We consume household items and clothing at an unsustainable rate, regularly replacing broken items with newer versions instead of simply cleaning, repairing or recycling them. Refresh your old clothes by giving them new life; turn tired-looking jeans into shorts, dye an old shirt a new color or add embroidery, fun patches to a denim jacket. Upcycling clothing not only refreshes what you currently own, but it will help extend the life of some of your favorite pieces. Why not get creative? There are hundreds of tutorials, for all looks and all levels of difficulty, all over the internet.

If you do not feel comfortable enough to do it yourself, workshops are offered in resource centers or by associations.

You can also choose to acquire 100% upcycled clothing such as Sad Valentine, Mountain Girl, Age Paris, les Récupérables... which all have a very committed and even proudly visible upcycling bias, in addition to a very safe and of great quality.

4. CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION WITH YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR FRIENDS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA

An easy way to keep the momentum going around second-hand shopping is to share the campaign on social media using the hashtag #SecondHandSeptember. The opportunity to share your tips and tricks with others and proudly declare your commitment.

Making children aware of this mode of consumption and explaining to them why it is important makes it possible to make it long-term, and to make it a practice that is as usual as it is responsible, far from the somewhat shameful idea that children had of it. generations before.

5. GO FURTHER WITH OTHER TOPICS

Certainly, fashion is one of the most polluting industries and the main source of pleasure spending for French women. But we can go even further!

Why not be even more involved with other goods that could be recycled, upcycled or second-hand: furniture, school supplies, plants, bicycles, books, etc. there are many initiatives from associations, but also from creators or individuals who follow the same approach in other sectors.

Are you ready for the challenge? Let's see if you can play this game for a whole month and share your experience with me: your finds, your upcycled creations, your places, your vintage looks... by tagging @blissinparis and @oxfamfrance with #SecondHandSeptember in your Instagram stories!

And if you like it, take it to the next level with #defiriendeneuf, it lasts a year! the site and Instagram are full of circular ideas!