22/03/2024
“The question which is agitating the world today is a social one. It is a struggle between those who have nothing and those who have too much. It is a violent clash of opulence and poverty which is shaking the ground under our feet. Our duty as Christians is to place ourselves between these two camps to accomplish by love, what justice alone cannot do” – Blessed Frederic Ozanam
In a modern-day clash between opulence and poverty, a dialogue is needed to truly understand how the charity retail sector, the SSVP Thrift Store in particular, can ameliorate the fast fashion business model of excessive production, consumption, and disposal of low-cost clothing, and in so doing, respond more authentically to the cries of both the earth and the poor.
The role of the SSVP within the global clothing industry
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, revenue from the global fashion industry was estimated at between $1.7 trillion and $2.5 trillion (Euromonitor and McKinsey) with the sector also employing over 75 million people (solidaritycentre.org). It will surprise some people to know that the SSVP is a global player in that sector with an estimated network of over 1,600 thrift shops globally, primarily across North America (USA 550, Canada 100), Australia (633), Ireland (230), New Zealand (60+) and England & Wales (50). Thanks to changing consumer behaviour, led by climate activists, ethical shoppers, bargain hunters and vintage collectors, second hand clothing or thrifting as it has become known, is delivering exponential growth globally, with 2027 revenue expected to pass $351 billion dollars (statista.com).
SSVP Thrift Store – So much more than a charity shop
The staff and volunteers who work in our charity shops and indeed those who frequent them as customers or donors, understand their true value as:
However, a recent study, completed by the Charity Retail Association in the UK, also identified that for every £1 invested in charity shops, £7.35 of social value is generated, creating an additional £75.3 billion pounds sterling of social value across the UK in 2022. This is in addition to over €900 million of income annually across the UK for parent charities.