Latest news with #thrifting
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Shopper sparks outrage with photo of unbelievable sighting on Salvation Army shelves: 'People have lost their ... minds'
A Reddit user spotted some outrageous price tags at the Salvation Army recently and took to r/ThriftGrift to share their incredulity. The community shared the sentiment. "Saw these towels for $8 EACH at Salvation Army," the original poster wrote, alongside a photo of the hung towels. Instances like this are shocking to see, considering thrift shopping is usually such a great way to save money. Similar sad situations have overpriced kitchen mixers, shoes, and clothes. That said, lots of secondhand shoppers have found some proper treasures while thrifting. In fact, sometimes items even have literal cash hidden inside them. Some businesses help shoppers get used items for reasonable prices and reward you for making your own donations. Trashie, ThredUp, and GotSneakers are just a few of them. Besides savings, thrift shopping also prevents clothes from going to landfills. When clothing breaks down, it contributes methane to the atmosphere, which traps heat and exacerbates destructive weather patterns such as floods and droughts. Those cause enough damage to make homes uninsurable and ruin farming crops. What's more, deteriorating clothing is likely to shed microplastics, which filter into marine ecosystems and eventually into the fish we catch and eat. Once ingested, microplastics are linked to all sorts of endocrine, immune, and reproductive health issues in humans. On top of avoiding these downstream effects of clothing waste, thrifting also reduces the demand for making new clothes. Manufacturing clothing has its own slew of environmental costs, including a reliance on oil production. While thrifting is generally a great idea, Reddit commenters were shocked to see prices like this for towels. "I just got brand new fluffy oversized towels for $4.99 each at Costco," one community member said. "No random butts have touched them. People have lost their damn minds." "Can't you buy new towels at ikea for $2-5 depending on the quality you want?" another commented. Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics? Giving me money back Letting me trade for new stuff Making it as easy as possible Keeping my stuff out of landfills Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the the daily Crossword
Fox News
26-07-2025
- General
- Fox News
6 kitchen items that experts 'would never recommend' buying at secondhand shops
Thrift stores can be goldmines for vintage finds and budget buys. When it comes to kitchen gear, however, some secondhand steals may do more harm than good. "I'm all about thrifting," Abby Thaxton, owner of The Lucky Rabbit antique store in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, told Fox News Digital. "Yet not everything from decades past is safe to use the way it was originally intended." From cookware that could leach toxins to appliances in need of repair, some items are better off as decor – or avoided, period. Here's what experts say you should skip – or at least think twice about buying. Sara McDaniel, a home expert and founder of Simply Southern Cottage in Louisiana, said she loves stumbling upon wooden bowls and utensils but approaches them with caution. "Wood is porous and an easy home for bacteria or mold," McDaniel told Fox News Digital. "If you see a crack, I'd pass on buying this item for cooking, but it can still be used for decor." She suggested looking for items made of teak, a hardwood resistant to moisture, rot and insects. Avoid vintage ceramics – and leaded crystal – made before the 1970s and 1980s, when laws were enacted to ban or limit the use of lead in everyday household items, Thaxton said. "Vintage ceramics – especially bright, imported or handmade ones – can leach lead," Thaxton said. The same goes for dishes with lead-based glaze or paint, she added. "Collect them for their charm, not your dinner party." Forget about buying electronics secondhand unless you can plug them in to see if they work first, New Jersey-based smart shopping expert Trae Bodge told Fox News Digital. "It can be challenging to determine how old they are, and there may be hidden damage, such as bent parts, cracks or faulty electrical wiring," Bodge said. "It could also be difficult to find replacement parts, if needed." Items like toasters or blenders can be great finds at secondhand shops, but she said she sees them as temporary solutions until brand-new replacements can be bought. Old plastic items made before 2010 may contain harmful chemicals that are now restricted or banned, like Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which can also leach into food – especially when heated. Many older plastics weren't designed for microwave or dishwasher use – and they can harbor grease and bacteria. "Vintage plastics may look fun and colorful, but they're not food-safe," Thaxton said. "Great for display – not for snacks." "Buying cast-iron cookware that has been well-maintained is an excellent way to save on cast iron, but if the care is in question, this is a category I would skip because there is a danger of rust," Bodge said. Light surface rust can be scraped off and scratched "seasoning" can be restored, but more intense damage can risk food safety, according to experts. "With the rise in awareness of harmful chemicals emitted from non-stick pans coated with Teflon, I would never recommend buying those secondhand," McDaniel said. "Most used pans have scratches and other surface damage, which releases harmful chemicals into your food and your body ultimately absorbs." "This category is a 'no' for me," Bodge agreed. Keeping eyes peeled for newer kitchen items, manufactured under modern safety standards, is the best bet, experts said. "Don't overlook the magic of newer secondhand staples," said Thaxton. "It's an easy way to stock a kitchen without breaking the bank."
CTV News
14-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Paradigm shift: A former Parliament Hill journalist on her transition to vintage shop owner
A former Parliament Hill journalist is sharing her story of changing careers, moving from the hustle and bustle of the halls of power to a vintage consignment store in Hintonburg. Chelsea Nash was a reporter with the Hill Times but recently opened Curious Times Collective on Somerset Street West. Curious Times Collective Curious Times Collective is located at 1106 Somerset St. W. in Ottawa. (Chelsea Nash/supplied) Speaking on Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa at Work with Patricia Boal, Nash says she became interested in vintage collecting during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'I was living in Barrie at the time, with my folks there, and we all had a lot of extra time on our hands,' she said. 'Once stores opened up, I had a lot of fun going out to the thrift store to see what I could find. And it just sort of grew from there.' Nash said after moving back to Ottawa to work on Parliament Hill, reselling vintage and antique items became a weekend hobby. 'It became sort of a creative outlet for me that was a way for me to completely switch my brain off from the politics of the day that consumed Monday to Friday. It was a good mental break, but I found it really hard sometimes and really jarring to switch between those two. I started to feel like Jekyll and Hyde—okay, I'm a vintage seller, I'm having so much fun chatting with everyday people at the market, and then the next day I have to turn up at a committee that's talking about foreign interference or I'm asking questions of Galen Weston.' On social media, Nash said she's worked to make sure the store is a welcoming environment for all walks of life. Curious Times Collective The interior of Curious Times Collective on Somerset Street West. (Chelsea Nash/supplied) 'It's my belief that one important way to fight rising fascism is to look after your neighbours and foster community. I'm excited and proud to say that our little shop has already proven to be a safe and joyful space for all kinds of folks, from autistic teens to elder trans folks,' she said on Bluesky. 'It might just be a vintage shop, but to me everything is always political, and so this next project has been created with a lot of intention and care.' The store came to her when the owner of another vintage shop reached out. 'The way we got into that spot was actually through Jaime (McLeod), who owns Darling Vintage, which is in the ByWard Market. She had tried that location out for a little bit. It didn't feel like home for her… She was looking for someone to take it over and reached out and it just seemed like a really good fit,' Nash said. 'I live in the Hintonburg neighbourhood, my business partner does as well, so both of us jumped at the chance. Because of the work that Jaime already did, she did a lot to make it retail ready for us, so it was kind of a unique opportunity to get a spot that was a little bit turnkey ready for us and dive in right away.' Nash told CFRA the store seeks out special pieces that represent bygone eras of design. 'We have some pieces from Canadian ceramicist Maurice Chalvignac. We have a giant, five-foot tall floor lamp from one of his production studios that looks like a table lamp, but the scale of it is quite massive, so it's quite an impressive floor lamp,' she said. Maurice Chalvignac lamp A vintage floor lamp by Canadian ceramicist Maurice Chalvignac at Curious Times Collective. (Chelsea Nash/supplied) Nash said it took a lot to make the leap and change careers, but there are parallels between journalism and the vintage world. 'You end up meeting so many people; you end up talking to them about their memories, or their lives, or their parents' lives, or their histories,' she said. 'It's a much smaller scale, it's that individual connection, but the stories there are endless and that's what I love.' Nash says she's still actively writing, but her focus is shifting to themes of memory, grief, collections and the objects that represent people. 'I'm a storyteller, still, so that's what I get to do, and I get to pass those stories on. A lot of times, people are hesitant to give up their collections or the collections of their parents that they don't have a place for but that were so important to them,' she said. 'We get to kind of promise them that we're going to take care of this, we're going to steward it into a new home for someone else that's going to love it just as much. There's some beauty to that.'
CBS News
07-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- CBS News
Tips and tricks from a Colorado thrifting expert on how to thrift shop and score the best finds
Whether you're looking to save a few bucks or find some unique articles of clothing, thrifting is becoming more popular nowadays. A local thrifting expert is sharing tips on how to find the best deals and score the best finds. Katie Bergman is an avid thrift shopper. CBS Like many people, Katie Bergman has always loved shopping and buying clothes. However, the prices of everything have gotten expensive, especially when trying to update your wardrobe and what's in your closet. So, she became an avid thrift shopper and now has her own business where she's a thrift personal shopper and finds outfits and new wardrobes for clients. Bergman recommends going to the store with a game plan, sticking to your budget, and making a list for yourself. She also recommends shopping based on whatever colored tags are on sale for the day. You can find items 30% off or even 50% off based on the colored tags. It's also recommended to get to the stores earlier in the day or throughout the week when stores are less busy. Thrifting has become more popular as the cost of living increases. CBS "People will clean out their closets and things over the weekends, and so you will get lots of great things that people have cleaned out, and they're usually put on the racks earlier in the week. Tuesday, Wednesday are usually going to be your best days, and sometimes Monday, but they might be recovering from weekend sales." Check every aisle and each item on the rack and inspect items carefully. Some stores also have sales racks too. Be on the lookout for designer items or certain brands that will last longer. "Another thing you can look at is to shop off-season. So, if you want sweaters and long-sleeved shirts, now is the time to shop for those because they're not incredibly picked over at this point, and you can find a lot of really great items for cheap that you wouldn't normally find," said Bergman. If you have sewing skills or are willing to get things tailored, keep that in mind as you're shopping. Always try to pick things that are bigger in size, rather than smaller, as those are easier to get tailored. Also, check the store's re-stock days. Have an open mind and have some fun. Katie Bergman shows how to update your wardrobe by thrifting. CBS "I think thrift stores are overwhelming, and that's the main reason most people are kind of intimidated by shopping in a thrift store. But when you know what you're looking for, for example, a certain color jacket or something like that, or you're looking for long-sleeved shirts specifically. You stick to just those colors and just those items," said Bergman.
Washington Post
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Secondhand, vintage and thrifting 101
Arts & Entertainment Secondhand, vintage and thrifting 101 July 6, 2025 | 2:09 PM GMT Washington Post fashion critic Rachel Tashjian shares her cheat sheet for common words and phrases that come up when shopping for used clothing.
