Interesting Article: “The world’s first mall for recycled goods”

As a long time lover of second-hand goods and finding treasures on the streets, I have had dreams of opening up a second hand shop for clothes or furniture (maybe one day!).

When I used to leave in Alphabet City in New York (East Village), the neighborhood was full with small second-hand stores with designer and vintage treasures. I couldn’t keep away. And it was especially interesting to talk to the shop owners, usually immigrants with their own tales of how they ended up in New York City.

Jerusalem has developed in the last 6 years since I have been here, with a few shops opening and every summer a second hand festival on Emek Refaim street, run by Yad2. The two second stores I think are worth visiting, if you do happen to visit Jerusalem is Naomi Vintage in Machane Yehuda (the only second hand store with designer clothes in Jerusalem) and Trumpeldor Vintage on Nisim Behar Street, near the shuk. In terms of second hand furniture, it is almost non-existent. You must go to the Yafo Flea Market in Tel Aviv.

Although I love the thrill of the prices in places such as H&M, Primark and other fast fashion chains ( it is an addiction in a way) the more time goes on and my family fills our small Jerusalem apartment, I feel the need all the time to reduce clutter and really concentrate on quality pieces-clothes, furniture, toys. The thrill of the fast fashion is slowly becoming a choice for many all over the world-should I continue to voluntarily produce more waste when I can re-use and refurbish?

I have been following an amazing facebook page called Ethical Fashion Tribe which covers sustainability in the fashion world and posts amazing articles of truly innovative global initiatives. This is there Facebook page.

Leave it to the Swedes to open up such an amazing concept-a first mall for recycled goods.

“ReTuna Återbruksgalleria is a mall dedicated entirely to repaired and upcycled goods. It combines a traditional municipal recycling centre with a shopping centre, so that people can drop off goods that they no longer need, and then browse for something new – perhaps stopping off at the cafe in between. It’s the first mall of its kind in Sweden, and as far as they know, the first in the world.  ”

What an amazing idea, I wish I could hop on a plane now to visit.

Full Article:

“The world’s first mall for recycled goods.”

*Photograph above taken from article of ReTuna Återbruksgalleria.