NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Is thrifting becoming another form of fast fashion?
According to the Environment Protection Agency, Americans produce 16 million tons of textile waste a year. In 2019, the agency also found that 85 percent of textiles discarded in the country wound up in landfills or burned.
Not all of the clothes they dispose of are raggedy or stained, though. Some are perfectly fine. That's what makes the toll clothes are taking on the environment so tragic. It’s part of the reason many eco-conscious shoppers prefer thrifting.
Thrifting isn't a perfect solution though. It normalizes consumers buying more of clothes. While thrifting lengthens the life-span of clothes, it still contributes to the country's problem with excess.
On this week's episode of 1010 WINS In Depth, we explore if shopping secondhand lost its environmental focus? Looking at affluent shoppers and influencers who crowd thrift shops, we also examine why they might be causing more harm to the local communities who actually need clothes.
This week, we’re tackling these questions with thrifting expert Patrice Williams. We also hear from Jennifer Le Zotte, who researches the history of material and culture at University of Carolina Wilmington and Dr. Cindy Isenhour, an assistant professor of anthropology and climate change at the University of Maine. We also head to the Goodwill store in Union Square to hear from real thrifters.