Eco Beauty & Fashion

Shop Drop Challenge Wrap

shop drop challenge mommy greenest thank youEditor’s Note: Check out the 2016 Shop Drop Challenge! Thank You. Seriously. The Mommy Greenest community rallied behind the Shop Drop Challenge and it was amazing! I started out just asking people to commit to a 30-day shopping pause—thrifting or swapping a preloved fashion fix instead—and this year the Challenge took on a whole new dimension! 

First of all, online consignment megastore thredUP got behind the Shop Drop Challenge in a big way, donating a $500 preloved handbag shopping spree to one lucky Mommy Greenest reader. (Click here to find out who won it!)

Then people started sharing tweets like these:

95% #textiles #recyclable. Save w/#shopdrop2015 & enter 2 #win @thredUP $500 #handbag #giveaway! www.mommygreenest.com/shop-drop-2015 via @rachellsarnoff

$60/mo #clothes?!? Save w/#shopdrop2015 & enter 2 #win @thredUP $500 #free #handbag #giveawaywww.mommygreenest.com/shop-drop-2015 via @rachellsarnoff

#Fashion #pollutes #water. Save w/#shopdrop2015 & enter 2 #win @thredUP $500 #handbag #giveaway! www.mommygreenest.com/shop-drop-2015 via @rachellsarnoff

1.7 b. #clothes go unused. Save w/#shopdrop2015 & enter 2 #win @thredUP $500 #handbag #giveaway! www.mommygreenest.com/shop-drop-2015 via @rachellsarnoff

We spend $60/mo #clothes. Save w/#shopdrop2015 & enter 2 #win @thredUP $500 #free #handbag #giveaway! www.mommygreenest.com/shop-drop-2015 via @rachellsarnoff

Need an extra 140 characters to throw around? You’re welcome to share and join the chorus!

All month long, I read comments like:

“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 

Challengers talked about their favorite preloved finds, including a Coach purse, a 1950s faux fur coat, Marc Jacobs dress, Jil Sander skirt—and lots of amazing vintage pieces inherited from Mom.

Although we had only about 100 participants, I think the effects of the Shop Drop Challenge will trickle down throughout the year—encouraging all of us to thrift and swap more and shop less.

Together, we saved 600 pounds of textile waste from going into the landfill, and $6,000. Next year, the sky is the limit!

Did you participate in the Challenge? Why or why not? If you did, is or was it easy or difficult? Do you plan to take the Challenge again next year? Please tell me about it, in comments below. Thanks!

16 Comments

  • Brittney Minor

    It wasn’t hard to not spend money, I normally don’t. But I did enjoy consciously thinking about. I also live in a community that has a swap shop where you can drop off clothes and other items for other people to pick up. So I got rid of stuff and found stuff for myself. It’s like getting a new wardrobe without spending money!

    • Rachel Sarnoff

      Oh, where is that Brittney? I thought we had the first swap shop in Santa Monica, I’d love to know about another one! Thanks for sharing!!

  • Molly

    I don’t buy much…but my issue is, I keep it. All. Lol.
    I recently found out how much textile waste goes into landfills. Now that I know sleeping bags, pillows and even old socks, underwear and SHOES can be recycled if they are beyond reusing, I am always going to donate that stuff (clean, of course) from now on.
    I only know about NY States textile recovery program but there has to be others in other States.

  • michelle

    I started late so am technically still in challenge mode. It has got me thinking about how much I do buy and why. For instance, do I really REALLY need 25 pairs of underwear, two bras of each color and five white dress shirts or can I make do with less? Why do I feel the need to have so much? I think this is a great challenge and it has got me thinking about the psychology of buying more and what I can do in my life to reduce. I will definitely join again next year! Thank you!

    • Rachel Sarnoff

      Yay! Let me know how it goes as you get closer to the end of your Challenge. But seriously, this is EXACTLY the kind of thinking that I hoped–dreamed!–the Challenge would bring up. What does consumption mean to each of us? What can we do without? Thank you so much for sharing, Michelle!

  • Ellen DeFrancesco

    I’m the typical mommy who never buys stuff for herself so this was an easy challenge for me. I loved this idea so much that I posted it on my FB page for my blog/website (www.livingcleananddirty.com). I launched my website in the middle of January and wasn’t able to post anything so hopefully next year I would be able to share it with my readers and spread the word.

  • Raine

    Normally it would have been super easy for me since I love second hand shopping, but leave it to Target to have a huge winter pajama clearance sale. I’ll admit to a small pajama addiction – I love being cozy. I almost forgot about the challenge and had some in my cart one trip with my mom and she made a joke about how many pairs I own. Ugh, I remembered and put them back- I absolutely didn’t need them. So I survived the challenge and think it’s a great idea to remind people of waste and ‘do I really need this’. I’m glad you have happy feet now 🙂

    • Rachel Sarnoff

      Thanks Raine! That is a GREAT example of the type of awareness this Challenge is designed to raise. What an awesome story! Thank you! 🙂

  • Kim Cage

    it was easy for me as I normally don’t buy to much new clothing, period!!1 So to go 30 days was no problem for me. And yes I will participate again next year.

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