Today’s hyper-consumerist culture has sent the 20-year trend cycle into retirement and instead promoted the more dangerous fast fashion trend cycles. Walking down the high street, you’re likely to experience a kaleidoscope of brand gimmicks and a never-ending stream of clothes, all of which line the pockets of a fashion model built on greed. So, it begs the question how can we truly find fashion that is unequivocally good? Where is the fashion that makes us look, feel and do good?
Well, that’s the power of charity retail.
TRAID CEO Maria Chenoweth and fellow Charity Super.Mkt co-founder Wayne Hemingway have paved the way forward for accessible secondhand fashion that doesn’t cost the planet and gives back to charities raising money for brilliant causes. They recently took to the stage at the Purpose Summit conference, as part of a panel talk to share the value of collaboration and partnerships in order to build a charity hub that works towards collaboration, as a method to achieve rather than deceive, by eliminating competitive models.
Maria commented that, “The most joyful part of the collaborations and partnerships is for the first time we’ve got charities working together. It is about raising funds where there are funding holes, whether it is research for the cure for cancer, providing calls and services for people before they lose their homes or hospices.”
Hear Maria and Wayne speak about the importance of collaboration and their experience building Charity Super.Mkt from 34:39 minutes:
But don’t just take their word for it, the Charity Retail Association recently published the first of its kind social value report, ‘The value of giving back – the social return of charity shops’, detailing just how important charity retail is for local communities. In 2022 alone UK charities generated a whopping £75.3 billion in social value! 49% of surveyed participants explained that their social value was generated through ‘giving back’ to others and the planet, all attributing to that feel-good factor synonymous with charity retail. At TRAID there are lots of opportunities to give back, if you want to become a secondhand advocate why not volunteer with us or find your career in the charity sector by visiting our current vacancies page.
Charity Super.Mkt continues to tour across the UK giving back to people and places by pedestaling local and national charities in mainstream shopping complexes. The latest location added to the multi-charity shop’s retailing line-up is Westfield London, W12 8AQ. Find TRAID and a great range of other charities when doors open on Thursday 23rd November from 5pm.
