The Case for Imperfect Sustainability

The Case for Imperfect Sustainability 

One of the big questions going through my head when I started Bounce Mkt was whether our impact would be enough to make it all worth it. Starting a small business is no small feat and success for this business was never about profit; Bounce Mkt was created with the goal to motivate more parents to buy used clothes, instead of new, for their kids more often. After a year and a bit in business, I’m more convinced than ever that we can deliver a better secondhand experience that encourages parents who haven’t previously considered buying secondhand to give it a go. But, does it really matter if people buy used kids’ clothes, instead of new? 

The short answer - yes. Fashion accounts for up to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions according to the World Economic Forum. Further, the Clean Clothes Campaign estimates that three out of five of the 100 billion garments made in 2018 end up in the landfill within a year. When you buy secondhand, instead of new, it cuts down on both emissions and waste. Research by Waste and Resources Action Program (WRAP) “shows extending the average life of clothes by just three months of active use per item would lead to a 5-10% reduction in items’ carbon, water and waste footprints.”

Certainly, the impact isn’t perfect. Most of us aren’t going to switch to wardrobes that are entirely secondhand and, even if we did, it wouldn’t eliminate our environmental footprint altogether. But, when it comes to sustainability, it isn’t “all or nothing”- instead, there is a lot to be gained by adopting a mentality that embraces and celebrates the small wins. Confronting a big challenge like climate change can feel daunting – but there is something empowering about taking small steps, such as buying used instead of new clothes, in our daily lives. After all, if those actions are repeated often enough across populations, it can add up.