To celebrate Earth Day all Buffalo Exchange locations hosted their annual one-day sale April 18, offering select items for one dollar, with all of the proceeds going toward efforts to combat plastic waste.
According to Buffalo Exchange’s website, fast fashion contributes significantly to plastic pollution, with 70% of clothing produced each year made from plastic fibers that contain thousands of harmful chemicals, and three out of five clothing items being discarded within a year of production and sale.
This year, the popular resale retailer supported the Plastic Pollution Coalition, directing all proceeds to initiatives aimed at reducing plastic pollution. The nonprofit organization, founded in 2009, works to create a more just, equitable, and regenerative world free from plastic pollution and its toxic impacts, as stated on their website.
Shoppers lined up outside and around the corner in Brookline, Massachusetts, waiting with cash in hand and a thrifter’s mindset, happily knowing their purchases were supporting a good cause and eager to see the selected collection.
Boston-resident, Ezra Heller-Goodman, saw the event on a flyer being passed around and thought it would be the perfect excuse to spend some money.
“Most stores don’t make the kind of clothes I like anyways, like my style. I always feel like I don’t actually need to go out and buy a $50 pair of pants, when who knows how much I will actually wear them, and then I would be supporting some evil company,” said Heller-Goodman. “I feel like the best way to justify buying more clothes is knowing that they have already been bought and would probably end up in a landfill anyway. It’s a great cause, and it’s affordable.”
Heller-Goodman also invited his friend Angelina Amato along for some fun shopping. Amato strongly supports ethical shopping and continues to thrift both for enjoyment and in line with their personal values.
“My stuff is falling apart, my shoes have holes in them. I get everything second hand but I’m okay with that,” said Amato. “This jacket was ten dollars and it’s real leather and I wear it all the time. My mom sews and so growing up, she would always be like ‘Why are you paying for that?’ Things just keep getting more expensive and they are still poor quality. I don’t want to spend a lot of money on something that is polyester.”
With so many young adults paying rent in Boston, this sale was very appealing. Many thrifters simply wanted to enjoy the affordable price such as Suffolk student Ryan Ardityo.
“I’m searching for a lot of summer clothing and this is a nice deal for me,” said Ardityo.
The event itself was well-organized to prioritize fair shopping for everyone and to avoid any Black Friday–style chaos. Inside the store, a designated section was blocked off for the one dollar sale, allowing regular shoppers to browse during normal hours.
Five shoppers at a time were given a few minutes to move through racks of clothing, from jeans to jackets to purses and hats. Staff also regularly restocked the racks to ensure everyone had a fair chance of finding good pieces. Shoppers who participated in the sale were even offered one dollar surprise gift bags full of knick knacks and jewelry.
The whole event was a fun way to celebrate Earth Day with ethical shopping while also supporting an organization who prioritizes on less waste.
