It’s Secondhand September:
Consuming more responsibly

Take up the challenge of responsible consumption

September, Secondhand Month is a challenge launched by Oxfam 5 years ago, encouraging consumers not to buy new clothes for a month. It’s an awareness-raising movement that encourages us to rethink our consumption and take part in a circular, solidarity-based and sustainable economy.

It’s a well-known fact that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting. Here are a few facts about the industry:

• It accounts for 10% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
• 85% of textiles produced are thrown away
• Every day, the equivalent of 86,400 garbage trucks are buried or burned
• It uses 4% of the world’s drinking water resources every year

How can we make a difference and adopt a more responsible way of consuming?

It’s easier than you think. All you have to do is (re)think your habits in terms of reducing consumption by buying better, reusing and repairing. Also, to make a difference and adopt a more responsible mode of consumption, we recommend not throwing away what is still usable, and recycling and adding value to what already exists.

Many people have already begun to integrate second-hand goods into their consumption habits. This sector is booming; it is estimated that the global resale market will grow 11 times faster than the retail sector by 2025.

In Quebec, it’s already worth more than CAD 5 billion, with the Montreal region at its heart.

We’re taking up the #SecondHandSeptember challenge

At Renaissance, we’re taking advantage of #septembre, mois de la seconde main to share tips and tricks on how to consume more consciously and highlight the positive impacts of more responsible consumption.

Buying second-hand at Renaissance has many advantages, including

• Substantial savings: you don’t pay tax, and when you have the Trésors card, it’s even more rewarding, as you earn 1 point for every dollar spent
• Find something unique to create your own style
• Buy brands at a better price
• Reduce landfill waste
• Contribute to the social and professional reintegration of thousands of people every year

Consuming better also means giving away what we no longer use and which could be used by others. Thousands of tons of items are diverted from landfill.

Buying and donating to Renaissance is not only environmentally friendly, it also contributes to the development of Quebec’s social economy.

In September, become a Renaissance #Ecollaborator

Our EcollaboratorsMC are committed and inspiring people who adhere to social and environmental values, and who decide to collaborate with us through a powerful vector: sharing.

Ecollaborators are also our donors, who give a second life to their goods and help divert waste from landfill.

Follow us on social networks and discover tips for shopping at thrift stores, video capsules from our ÉcollaborateursMC and don’t miss the launch of our Responsible Consumption Guide.

Subscribe to our #moisdelasecondemain and #SecondHandSeptember keywords on our social networks.

Waste reduction pilot project

In September 2021, as part of its Défi en économie sociale – Agir pour la transition écologique program, which aimed to reduce the volume of landfill waste based on the principles of the circular economy, the City of Montreal awarded Renaissance a generous grant. This financial support has enabled the organization to launch a textile fiber recycling pilot project, in partnership with Vestechpro.

A two-year, three-part textile waste reduction pilot project:

• Component 1: reduction at source, aimed at gaining a better understanding of our textile consumption and raising community awareness of the need for more responsible consumption, thereby contributing to a more sustainable lifestyle
• Component 2: Reuse of used textiles that can be repaired or transformed
• Component 3: recycling of post-consumer textiles that can no longer be worn

Renaissance would like to thank the City of Montreal for seeing the great potential and positive impact of such a project

Find out more about the project