If you’re looking for high-quality, durable clothing from natural fabrics at lower prices than new retail, there are several areas in the Twin Cities where you can shop concentrations of secondhand stores. That’s what owner of Eco Chico Kid’s Resale, Krystell Theisen-Escobar, told audiences at the Minnesota State Fair. From the Eco Stage at the Eco Experience in one of the fair’s original and still-standing buildings, she spoke about ways to avoid fast fashion.

“Fast and SUPER fast fashion are dependent on cheap polyester, nylon and acrylic, which are highly toxic to the environment from the beginning to (never) end of their lifecycle,” Theisen-Escobar said. The fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions and is the second largest contributor to water pollution via the breakdown of microplastics in laundry.

Originally from Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico, she had relatives who worked with castoff and second-hand clothing. But it was her experience in the insurance industry that “led me to a hard truth I wanted to change. Excessive pollution is causing increased storm intensity, rising sea levels, and extreme heat. The less we change our habits now, the more costly it will be to deal with the disasters of a much riskier future,” Theisen-Escobar said.

How to avoid that consumption and “make second-hand first”? She suggested using what you already have, decluttering and organizing, refreshing and refurbishing. Mend and upcycle your own garments, or swap within the community. Need a fundraiser? Try an apparel exchange. People can support thrift by shopping resale and donating with intention – good items, not those for which there’s no reuse market.

And of course, when buying new, buy first-rate quality, but buy less, with more intention. The lowest environmental footprint/biodegradable fabrics are organic cotton, hemp, linen, Tencel/bamboo, wool, and down.

Krystell will lead a tour of Eco Chico during Reuse Minnesota’s annual meeting on November 17 from 10–11 AM.

Here are several organizations where you can find quality second-hand clothing items:

• 4ever Sale'ing
• Arc's Value Village Thrift Store
• Cake Plus Size Resale
• Community Action Center Clothes Closet
• CRAFT Industries
• CRAVEbyCRV
• Eco Chico Kid's Resale
• Family Pathways
• Hidden Treasures Thrift Store
• Nine Lives Thrift
• Old School by Steeple People
• Shop for Change

Editor’s note: To the perennial question of what to do with worn out textiles beyond repair, some can be made into wiping rags or insulation, periodically collected by outlets like Ridwell and Retold. Often the most environmentally sound method is disposal in the local garbage to avoid the possibility of being shipped elsewhere to an eventual unmanaged garbage or burn pile. Theisen-Escobar told Reuse Minnesota that Goodwill stores accept bags of textiles marked as "BALE" for proper handling, “meaning, it won't be shipped out to add further to the carbon footprint.”

Written by Margo Ashmore, Reuse Minnesota board member | Connect and learn more about her on her website.