Eco Beauty & Fashion

Eco Fashion Solution: Shop Drop Challenge 2016

August 26, 2015 /

Two women laughing about eco fashion shoppingCan you give up clothes shopping for 30 days? I did. What if I told you that taking a month-long shopping pause could help save $10 billion and a billion pounds of textile waste? That’s why! We’re gearing up for the annual Shop Drop Challenge, which takes place each January to raise awareness about the fashion’s environmental problems and an easy eco fashion solution. Sign up for this year’s Shop Drop Challenge, and you could win a $250 shopping spree from thredUP.com! The Shop Drop Challenge raises awareness about fashion’s environmental problems and provides an easy eco fashion solution. Sign up and you could win a $250 shopping spree from thredUP.com! Here’s the short story: In 2014, I learned American women spend (on average) $60 each month on clothes and dump six pounds of textile waste into the landfill. Multiply those numbers by the fact that there are 160 million of us, and that adds up to (nearly) $10 billion and one billion pounds. In a month!

For about five years, I’ve primarily shopped at thrift stores and swapped with friends, rather than buying new. Each year, I use the Shop Drop Challenge to raise awareness about how preloved eco fashion can save money—and the landfill. Thanks to thredUP.com for supporting this year’s program, and for sweeting the deal with a $250 preloved fashion giveaway!

Here’s how it works:

  1. Leave a comment below to sign up for this year’s Shop Drop Challenge, and enter to win the $250 shopping spree from thredUP, which is our presenting sponsor. (Yay!)
  2. For extra entries, Tweet to share (we’ve got four to choose from) and like Mommy Greenest and thredUP on Facebook.
  3. I’ll email you updates as we get closer to January 1st, when the Challenge begins.
  4. In January, you’ll fulfill your end of the Challenge by not buying any new clothes or accessories—but you can thrift or swap to your heart’s content!
  5. Each Monday in January, you’ll receive an email with shareable information about how your shopping pause can positively impact the world.
  6. At the end of the month, you’ll be invited to our wrap party, location TBD!

Sound fun? Join us and sign up now!

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Here are some environmental reasons to take the Challenge:*

Each year 1.7 billion clothing items go unused in closets across the globe.

It takes 2,200 gallons of water to produce one pair of jeans—that’s the same as nearly 300 showers.

A plain cotton t-shirt requires 1/3 of a pound of toxic fertilizer to produce.

The textile industry is the world’s second largest water polluter, after agriculture.

95% of the clothes we throw into the landfill are recyclable

What’s the solution? Use the Shop Drop Challenge to save money and gain style! In 2014 and 2015, more than 500 women joined the Shop Drop Challenge, saving more than $30,000 and 3,000 pounds of landfill waste each year.

Here’s what our community said about last year’s Challenge:

“Love this challenge and hope it brings recognition to what the process of making clothes is all about” –Alexis

“I’m going to clean out my close, finally do my mending, and donate this week! Those environmental statistics really put things in perspective.” –Sadie

“I will also pledge to give away five pieces of clothing to a women’s center where ladies can just take what they need for free.” –Anita

“I pledge to stop wearing the same old clothes and wear all the clothes in my closet. If I don’t wear them, I’m going to donate them. “ –Jean

“No Shopping for 30 days seems impossible but I’m willing to try. If I can find great vintage finds in my mother’s closet I can do it at a consignment store too!” -Itzel

“I shop regularly at our local Salvation Army Store. I have found so many great deals over the years, I am always asked where I bought my outfits from and people always looked shocked when I tell them. I look great and save money and recycle and reuse!” –Darlene

“Now I can actually find things in my closet because the extras aren’t there and I don’t miss them…Some purchases are necessary. For the others I ask myself if I want to pack them again next time I move. The answer is usually ‘no.’” –Linda

“I’m in! I started Jan 1st and donated two large bags of clothes. I now know what’s in my closet and dresser!” –Jennifer

“Done! I pledge no wasted money on clothing for 30 days—my husband’s gonna LOVE this!” -Jill

Thanks to the Global Fashion Exchange for these stats! This post was sponsored by thredUP.

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