Okay, here in Berkeley we all talk a good talk about sustainable living. We totter off (or bike, skate, roll) to the store or Farmer’s Market with our reusable bags tucked under our arms. Most of us are diligent recyclers, dutifully separating our garbage and composting our food scraps. Some of us drive hybrid cars, or eschew cars altogether. Some use environmentally friendly “green” building products: zero VOC paint, shredded denim insulation, linoleum. All inarguably important and valuable practices, right? Absolutely.
Okay, I suggest we go just a smidge further. How about the very clothes we wear? Here in Berkeley, we have the wonderful outposts,and. Both are built on the “Buy, Sell, Trade” model. You can bring a bag of old clothes and have them scrutinized by buyers. They select out clothes they deem hip, relevant, and well maintained and offer you cash or trade in return for the items they take. You, in turn, can find treasures galore: row upon row of jeans, some barely worn and all prewashed and preshrunk to what-you-see-is-what-you-get perfection. From vintage rock shirts, flannels, and Vans, to cashmere sweaters, blazers, and wingtips. Whatever you need or seek, it’s likely you’ll find it at one of these stores, and at a fraction of its original price. Better still, you’re recycling, reusing perfectly good clothing without sacrificing style or personal taste. On a recent visit to Buff (as the regulars refer to it), I found a perfectly broken in pair of boyfriend jeans, a snazzy striped tee, and a red studded belt. An entire outfit for less than fifty dollars and no new materials were used.
Okay, so I draw the line at undies and running shoes. You’ve got to have a few limits, right? Consider checking out these stores for yourself and adding some pre-owned clothing to your closet—you’ll save money and do one more little thing to walk the walk of sustainable living in Berkeley.
