The Rise of Sustainable Shopping
Sustainable shopping is transforming the way consumers approach retail. As environmental concerns and economic pressures grow, more people are seeking eco-friendly alternatives to traditional shopping. For over 30 years, Winmark’s family of resale brands — including Plato’s Closet, Once Upon a Child, Play It Again Sports, Style Encore, and Music Go Round — has led the way in secondhand retail, offering high-quality clothing and equipment while reducing environmental impact.
Winmark’s unique business model pays cash for gently used items, allowing franchisees to meet consumers where their passions and budgets intersect. This sustainable approach to retailing not only helps fight inflation but also supports a cleaner planet by keeping clothing and equipment out of landfills and waterways.
How Winmark’s Resale Brands Lead the Way
Winmark has pioneered a one-of-a-kind approach to low-impact shopping and community involvement.
Key benefits of shopping at Winmark-brand resale stores:
- Access to well-made, unique, top-brand items at affordable prices
- Immediate cash for gently used clothes and equipment
- Money back in the local economy, benefiting families and communities
Socially Conscious Consumers Vote with Their Wallets
Today’s shoppers — especially Millennials and Gen Z — are driving the growth of sustainable retail. Raised in a digital age, these consumers are savvy, value-driven, and quick to spot “greenwashing.” They prefer brands that genuinely support ethical and environmentally responsible practices.
Why younger shoppers choose resale:
- They want purchases to reflect their individuality and values
- They understand the financial benefits of smart shopping
- They seek out brands with proven sustainability records
The Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion and Sporting Goods
The fashion and sporting goods industries have a significant environmental footprint. Consider these alarming statistics, provided by United Nations Alliance for Sustainable Fashion:
- 215 trillion liters of water are used annually by the clothing and textile industry
- 20% of the world’s wastewater comes from textile production
- 87% of fiber input used for clothing ends up incinerated or in landfills
- 8% of global carbon emissions are attributed to the fashion industry
- Modern sporting equipment, made from hard-to-recycle materials, can take up to 1,000 years to decompose, releasing toxic fumes into the air and soil
In today’s fast fashion environment, clothes are often designed to be worn briefly and discarded, rather than repaired, repurposed, or recycled. But Winmark brands are helping curb the overall impact.
Why Resale Retail Is the Future
At Winmark, sustainability has been our mission and one of the driving forces behind our success for more than three decades. Our resale model introduces circularity to an item’s lifecycle, keeping products in use and out of landfills and oceans. We’re proud to have kept over 2 billion items out of landfills — a testament to our commitment to low-impact retail.
Our stores offer consumers the things they want, while supporting their families and communities. By paying cash for gently used items, we help customers save money and make environmentally responsible choices.
Join the Sustainable Retail Revolution
Are you looking for an opportunity to flex your entrepreneurial muscles while making a real impact? Winmark’s proven resale franchise model empowers purpose-driven individuals to create positive change in their communities and for the planet.
Ready to learn more?
Discover how you can join the sustainable retail revolution with Winmark. Contact us today to find out how you can make a difference!