When used toys are donated to a thrift store or charitable institution, they are sorted into one of two categories: soft toys or hard toys. Soft toys are just that: plush animals and characters, including teddy bears and plush movie characters. Hard toys are usually small to medium sized plastic and/or resin toys. Also included in the hard toys category are soft toys that have hard parts and/or battery packs. These toys are offered for sale at deeply discounted prices. Many of them sell, but...

It happens in nearly every industry: From automobiles to childrens’ toys to household goods, clothing (both new and used clothing), and even food. It can’t be completely avoided but educated consumers know how to avoid falling prey to its effect. What is it? Greenwashing. What is greenwashing? According to Wikipedia, greenwashing is a “spin in which green PR or green marketing is deceptively used to promote the perception than an organization’s products, aims,...

Most of us know the basic compostable items: vegetable scraps, yard debris, non-waxed cardboard, paper… But there are many, many more items in and around your home that can be composted! Here are 10 of the oddest things you may not have realized you can compost: 1. Used clothing– Clothing items that are 100% cotton, wool, or silk are biodegradable. To speed up the breakdown process, cut the fabric into small pieces or tear it into thin strips. This is a great one (and often...

In October 2014 we posted about how to find quality vintage clothing–what separates the bulk of used clothing from true vintage clothing, types of vintage clothing markets, and tips on what to look for in vintage pieces. In this post we’ll help you understand why buying vintage is a great alternative to buying new, and we’ll help you get started in knowing where to look for awesome vintage pieces. What exactly is the ‘Vintage Advantage’? To begin with, vintage...

We have TONS to talk about. TONS of trash, that is. Your trash, my trash, our trash. Americans generate approximately 254 millions tons of trash annually. That’s 508 billion pounds of trash. Every. Single. Year. That’s approximately four pounds of trash per person, per day. But 254 million tons is an enormous number and while we all recognize that it’s a big number, sometimes it’s difficult to truly appreciate the scale until and/or unless we compare it to something...