BLOG COMMENTS RE: Shop 'Til You Drop at the Resale Shop!
On a clear day the view from my dining room window in Pacifica includes a procession of tankers heading up the coast and into the San Francisco bay. I sometimes watch these large floating apartment blocks and think of all the new stuff coming into this country, from the manufacturing hubs of India and China. I imagine containers packed with toys, shoes and clothes, all stuff that I typically buy at big box stores unless I stop and remember to shop second-hand.
In an effort to reconcile all the new stuff that I bought for myself and my family over Christmas I thought I would compile a list here of some of the local places (San Francisco Bay Area) where GreenMoms can shop for second-hand clothes and toys. It's my mea culpa to the planet, and maybe it'll strike a chord with other GreenMoms too.
There really could be nothing greener than buying second-hand clothing (aside from forgoing clothes and wearing leaves). Recycled clothing has a negligible carbon-footprint as someone else has already owned it before you and no new resources were used up to allow you to wear it for the second time. Plus, it’ll save you some green as it’s typically much cheaper than buying new stuff.
Starting locally, Pacifica is home to Bearly Worn - a consignment business catering to children aged 0-7 with snow clothes, ballet clothes, shoes, swings and carriers, strollers, puzzles, bedding and baby bottles. The shop accepts consignment clothing and nursery furniture on an appointment-only basis. The one thing I love about this place is they’ll do a wish-list for you and let you know when something comes in that you’ve been searching for. http://bearlywornpacifica.com/
Over the hill in San Bruno is Lovely Bump, another consignment store with a great selection of clothing and toys. The store also has racks of maternity clothing which is often something you don’t want to spend a lot of money on (particularly if you feel this could be your last pregnancy). And with maternity clothes being so fashionable these days they can be worn long after you’ve had your baby. When selling clothes here the store has a policy of giving store credit for most things, except for items over $20. With higher priced items the seller will make 40 % of the sale price. http://www.lovelybump.com/
One of my all-time favorite recycled clothing stores in San Francisco has to be Chloe’s Closet in Bernal Heights. The business has grown to two shops, one for toys and art supplies and the other for clothing. GreenMoms get a double feel-good whammy here as most of the toys are high-quality wooden games - not plastic - and they’re recycled so you’re not contributing to any more STUFF on the planet. At prices like $3 for a wooden pre-school reading game you really can’t go wrong (if your kid doesn’t learn to read, take it back and sell it!) The clothing is mainly top-brand pieces that typically sell for under $10 an item. http://www.chloescloset.com
Of course you don’t have to go to a designated children’s consignment shop for recycled clothing. Thrift stores, garage sales, Craigslist.org, freecycle.org or hand-me-downs are also great ways to acquire stuff second-hand. And many of these options won’t cost you a dime. There are also heaps of options when dressing GreenMoms in second-hand duds as San Francisco is littered with consignment shops. My favorite is Jane Consignment, 2249 Clement St, San Francisco, where I bought my all-time favorite navy-blue plush pullover. It is my go-to sweater for a windy day at the playground with the kids, watching swimming lessons, and always after a bath.
Finally a new business on the Peninsula offers recycled clothing for teenagers and college students, a group not typically catered to in the consignment clothing world. Plato’s Closet in San Mateo, a second-hand clothing franchise, has already built up a solid group of repeat customers in the five months since opening, says owner Nicole Zimdars. http://www.platosclosetsanmateo.com
I know we all like new stuff, and with economy-stimulating sales out there screaming “Buy One Sweater Get Two free” it can be easy to be talked into buying more and more. But maybe if we resist these pleas to consume and make our own pledge to check out some of our local resale shops the next time our kids grows out of their jeans, then just maybe some of those tankers won’t be so full on their next trip out here.
Have ideas on where to shop second hand in the Bay Area? Please share them here in the Discussion Forum.
-- Margot Shave, GreenMoms guest blogger
Margot Shave is a local mother of two with a background in journalism. She has written for newspapers and magazines in Australia, Hong Kong and Texas. As a writer and mother she could think of no better combination of work, than writing for GreenMoms.com and says, "These days it is not enough for a mother just to nurture and love her children and hope for the best. As mothers we all have another duty, to teach our kids green values and to ensure they have a healthy planet to live on in the future and make sure they leave it in good shape for their own kids."
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