Sustainability

Goodwill Is Going Green. Will You Join Us?

Environmental consciousness is more important now than ever before. That’s why Palmetto Goodwill has committed to operating sustainably and serving as a leader in the discussion on the environmental impacts of the global fashion industry. In fact, we’ve even compiled a list of eye-opening facts about the global fashion industry that will motivate you to join our eco-friendly movement. Continue reading to learn how Palmetto Goodwill values sustainability and see what steps everyone can take towards living a more sustainable lifestyle.

Fast Facts About Fast Fashion:

• It takes more than 5,000 gallons of water to produce the amount of cotton needed to produce a single t-shirt and a pair of jeans. (World Wildlife Fund)
• Clothing production doubled from 2000 to 2014. Across almost all apparel categories, consumers keep their clothing items about half as long as they did 15 years ago. (McKinsey & Company)
• Combined, the apparel and footwear industry account for approximately 8 percent of global climate impacts. (Quantis)
• More than 70 million trees are logged every year to create textile fabric. (Forbes)
• Nearly 70 million barrels of oil are used each year to make polyester. However, polyester takes more than 200 years to decompose. (Forbes)
• The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average person throws away 81 pounds of clothing per year. That adds up to 3.8 billion pounds of unnecessary waste added to our landfills. (EPA)

How We’re Making a Difference:

While these figures may seem overwhelming, there’s plenty of steps we may take to move towards a sustainable future. Here’s a few things we’ve accomplished so far:

• In 2023, Palmetto Goodwill diverted more than 31 million lbs. of reusable goods from local landfills right here in South Carolina.
• During the same period, Palmetto Goodwill diverted an additional 340,000 + lbs of e-waste from our local landfills.
• We have eliminated the plastic in all of our retail locations!

Commit to Living Sustainably.

If you’ve recently donated to Goodwill then you may follow this link to our Environmental Impact Calculator to determine how many lbs. of reusable goods were diverted from our local landfills as a direct result of your generous donation.

Furthermore, by choosing to shop secondhand at Goodwill you are helping to extend the life of usable items, lessen the amount of material sent to landfills or incinerators, and decrease reliance on the extraction and production of raw materials. Plus, shopping secondhand is a great way to score amazing looks for less! Take a look at some featured videos from our YouTube channel as proof that traditional retail stores aren’t the only places to find trendy outfits.