Many of us are embracing a preloved lifestyle because it has so many benefits to our daily lives. Here are the ten biggest benefits a preloved lifestyle can give you.
1. Sustainability
Sustainability is one of the most important benefits of preloved items. It’s much better for the environment, because firstly, it isn’t using any more resources. The item has already been made. It also reduces packaging waste, which, in turn, reduces pollution. The production of packaging is incredibly damaging to the environment, so less packaging is a benefit for everyone.
2. Cost-Effective
Preloved items are much more financially friendly for your bank account. You’re still getting a high quality, and often branded item, but at a fraction of the cost. Baby items, toys, furniture, clothes, books and games – all of them can be found preloved, and considerably cheaper than if you were buying new items.
3. Availability
There’s such an appreciation for preloved items, that finding ways to find them has never been easier. Charity shops, car boot sales, second-hand shops, and flea markets are all wonderful places to find what you’re looking for in person. You can always go to the internet too. Auction sites, apps, and Facebook Marketplace mean that even in your online world, you can look for second-hand items.
4. Individuality
There are so many problems with ‘fast fashion’, from the environmental impact to the social impact, and mass-produced items are exactly that – mass-produced. Every item is identical meaning individuality is limited. Preloved items are much more unique – whether you’re looking for clothes, furniture or something else, preloved purchases allow more personal identity.
5. Social Interaction
There’s an amount of communication and social interaction involved in buying and selling preloved items. Some areas have a preloved exchange type system, which means that as well as getting items you need, you’re also interacting with people. You’ll be meeting people who share some of them same values and beliefs as you do, which is part of what makes a community.
6. Quality
A huge advantage of preloved is that the quality of the items you’re getting tends to be better. When you have a budget, you could spend money on a lower quality item, or pay the same for a higher quality item. It’s pretty much a no-brainer! As these items are often high quality, they also tend to be more durable and longer lasting, which also means that when you’re done with it, you can sell it on to someone else.
7. Value And Appreciation
Buying preloved items gives them a new value and appreciation. The items are getting a new lease on life, and as consumers, we tend to appreciate and respect these items much more. This is especially true for branded clothing and furniture.
8. It’s Healthier
There is a health implication, particularly in terms of clothing. Cheap fabrics and textiles often have dyes and chemicals that are questionable at best. There are things like dyes, microplastics, and impregnating agents which we should try to avoid coming into contact with. It’s why it’s highly recommended that you wash new clothes before wearing them. Preloved clothing has two benefits here. First, it may be higher quality, so more care would have been taken during the manufacturing process. Secondly, it’s been washed numerous times, so any leftover chemicals have almost certainly been removed.
9. Diversity
The second-hand markets are diverse in terms of the quantity, quality and type of items available. You can find everything you’re looking for, but you may also find things that you wouldn’t have thought to look for. As preloved is cost-effective, this means that you can try out books, games, clothes or anything else that you may not have considered if you were paying full price.
10. It Makes A Statement
Purchasing preloved items makes a statement. It makes a personal statement of your own beliefs and values, but it also makes a statement to manufacturers as a society. Purchasing preloved shows that as a society we’re no longer interested in a cheap, disposable market, and that we’re more interested in protecting and preserving the environment.
Our Great British Pre-Loved Awards
If you already love shopping pre-loved, or are now becoming interested in it, then you should enter our Great British Pre-Loved Awards. By doing so you’ll have the opportunity to win a £1,000 Airbnb voucher!
You can learn more about the awards here, as well as how to enter and who our exciting array of judges are.
