October 7th is National Consignment Day #ConsignmentDay. I don’t know about you but I need to go through my closet and get rid of a bunch of clothes I don’t wear anymore. Charlie and I’ve been wanting to go to Oklahoma with today being #ConsignmentDay it would be a good time to gather up anything where not using and take it to a Consignment Store and see what we can make to put towards our trip. Would you like to clean out your home and bring stuff to the Consignment Store with me.
For everyone that likes to be on-trend and still live green, National Consignment Day, which is held on the first Monday in October each year which this year falls on October 7th. National Consignment Day encourages people to sell items they no longer use or want to consignment stores. You and the consignment store make some money, and someone gets to ethically buy and utilize a gently-used item.
The Consignment Store is the sort of place where people bring in items to sell at a fraction of the original price. The Consignment Store will display the items in the Consignment Store for a pre-arranged number of days and are paid a certain amount of the selling price. The rest of the money goes to the store, after the product sells. Consignment Stores stock clothing, home goods, art, furniture, and even books.
Before the U.S. had Consignment Stores, there were Thrift Shops, and before that, pushcarts. The Industrial Revolution was responsible for granting accessibility to a lot of items, and clothing was one of them.
Not only did production increase, but pricing also dropped, and buying power was at an all-time high back then. Unfortunately, this also increased the ‘disposable’ nature of clothes. At this time, Jewish immigrants saw an opportunity. All the discarded clothes were resold on pushcarts. I don’t know about you but I’ve never heard of pushcarts which is a #teachingmomen for my family. What about yours?
People buying from here were seen as low-class and tasteless. Newspapers included inferences about the dangers of purchasing anything from pushcarts. Towards the end of the 19th Century, religious groups jumped on this bandwagon, seeing an opportunity to raise funds by reselling items.
With the seal of approval from the Christian Ministry and the fact that donating made people feel more charitable, the idea of donating and using used goods became more acceptable to the general population.
By the 1950s, Consignment Stores appeared across the U.S. and existed alongside Thrift Stores. While they both sold used items, Thrift Stores were largely not-for-profit, while Consignment Stores paid the owner for the items they brought in, if they were sold.
The word Consignment itself mainly means to give something over and into the care of another person. Consignment likely came from the French word ‘consigner’ or the Latin ‘consignare,’ which means ‘to mark with a seal.’
As for how National Consignment Day came about online resale store, The RealReal, which specializes in luxury Consignment, launched National Consignment Day because they believe this is one of the best ways to shop. Operating since 2001, this company is now located in seven major U.S. Cities. The RealReal founded National Consignment Day to promote consignment and sustainable fashion.
How to Observe National Consignment Day
- Take the opportunity today to dig into your closet and other hidden spaces for treasures you don’t quite want anymore, and consider selling them at local Consignment Stores. You make money, promote sustainable fashion, and free up space in your closet! Win-win!
- Don’t simply consign alone take the opportunity to get friends and family to assist you and volunteer their items too. You can make this even more special by donating the proceeds from your efforts towards a charity of your choice.
- national Consignment Day is also intended to bring the circular economy an approach that benefits businesses, society, and the environment into the spotlight. Share the beauty of such a way of living, and also share details of your consignment to motivate more people to patrticipate and celebrate National Consignment Day.
Facts About Consignment Stores And National Consignment Day
- Consignment shops have another name known as ‘second-hand shops’ in the U.S.
- Nations like the U.K. have no special term to talk about such stores, but those that sell women’s clothes are called ‘dress agencies.’
- Consignment stores sell antiques, automobiles, books, never-worn clothing, furniture, musical instruments, athletic equipment, tools, paragliders, firearms, toys, and more.
- As National Consignment Day launched, the founding company formed a strategic partnership that celebrated sustainability with fashion designer Stella McCartney.
- The RealReal launched a contest on Instagram in celebration of National Consignment Day and gave away two Louis Vuitton bags to the winners.
Why National Consignment Day is Important
- We’re reselling items we no longer want, but someone else will have use for. We’re promoting greener shopping methods and extending products’ lives.
- Clothes from these stores are more trendy than those at thrift stores and are even sometimes stocked according to the season. A good buy means you are elevating your look and are avoiding taking the ‘fast fashion’ route.
- Consignment Store items are lower priced than normal stores, and some even resell luxury items.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
