Organizers of a new event would like to give treasured goods a second home while preserving the environment at a market this Sunday.
Newmarket resident Jennifer Sliwinski partnered with Market Brewing Company to host the inaugural thrift market on July 7 from noon to 4 p.m. at 17775 Leslie St., unit 9, Newmarket.
She likes the bohemian style of clothing.
“I’m drawn to '70s style clothing that is not fast fashion,” said Sliwinski. “I don’t want to go to a thrift store and pick up a shein top or a Forever 21 top. I want to look at something that has been around, has good quality and that will last. Something that stands out that is different.”
Sliwinski developed the idea for the market in town after visiting thrift markets in Toronto. She was able to find hidden gems on her trips. She wanted to create an event in Newmarket to allow residents to shop for thrift pieces without travelling to the city.
“This is our first event there at this location,” said Sliwinski. “It’s going to be an outdoor event. There will be 12 vendors there. There is going to be live music and a food truck. It’s for people to spend a Sunday for a couple of hours, check out the vendors, shop, and pick up some great finds of their own and have a great day out of it.”
Sliwinski started thrifting to save money but realized the environmental impact fast fashion had on our planet. According to the United Nations, the average consumer buys 60 per cent more pieces of clothing than 15 years ago. Each item is only kept for half as long.
“I’ve always been a thrifter, I always bought secondhand, I’ve always had the idea of keeping textiles out of landfills.”
Sliwinski had discussions with Bill Gianopoulos, co-owner of Market Brewing, to collaborate on the event he thought was a good idea.
Gianopoulos never had a thrift market before but looks forward to hosting the event with Sliwinski and learning more about it.
“We’re always trying to jump on board and do cool things that are different, think outside of the box, and try something we have never done,” said Gianopoulos.
The fashion industry is valued at around $2.4 trillion and employs over 75 million people worldwide. It, however, loses about $500 billion of value every year due to the lack of recycling and clothes that are thrown into landfill before ever being sold.
“It became more than saving more, it became about saving the planet and trying to do my part,” said Silwinski. “It was a combination of things that made me more passionate about it.”
The fast fashion industry accounts for two to eight per cent of global carbon emissions. Part of these emissions come from pumping water to irrigate crops like cotton, oil-based pesticides, machinery for harvesting, and emissions from transport. The industry is responsible for 24 per cent of insecticides and 11 per cent of pesticides.
