As the weather gets colder and the evenings get darker, all I want to do is pull on a warm sweater and drink some hot tea. I’ve already got my need for tea covered by Dining Team Green’s reusable mug program, but what about those cozy sweater? For that, I go to Savers.
Savers is a thrift store, but it’s not your average thrift store. There are over 300 Savers stores worldwide, with locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia. This global reach brings low prices on clothes, accessories, and household products to hundreds of communities, but Savers’ global reach also allows it to have a large, sustainable impact. Savers operates on a cycle that promotes support for non-profit organizations, recycling/reuse of clothing and other items, and the creation of jobs, all the while emphasizing the importance of the communities their stores are located in.
And the recycling aspect of the “Savers Cycle” is not insignificant. They lead the industry of textile reuse and recycling, saving 90% of the materials donated to them from landfills – a total of 650 millions pounds of goods are diverted from landfills annually. Savers works to “ensure that each item [they] receive is sorted and given the best opportunity to be useful again,” either by being sold to shoppers in their stores, sold to wholesale processors, or by being recycled into repurposed forms. When they aren’t able to sell or repurpose items, they work closely with waste management companies to ensure that everything is disposed of responsibly.
Not only is Savers good for your wallet, by giving Savers your business, you are helping to reduce your own ecological impact, while also supporting a company with a keen focus on recycling and sustainability. Savers also promotes social well being in the communities in which they are located, by partnering with and supporting organizations whose missions vary from services for people with disabilities, to Veteran’s programs, to mentoring youth. So next time you find yourself longing for that $98 sweater from Urban Outfitters, try taking a trip to your local Savers – you’ll help out your wallet, and you’ll also be doing your small part to help out the world.
Written by Ciara McGillivray, Class of 2018
Sources: https://www.savers.com/about-us
https://www.savers.com/Impact?gclid=COrH97-6yskCFYqPHwod9_sLuw