One of the main trends, if not the main one, in 2021 is what’s referred to as “upcycling” clothes. There are many benefits to this trend. In addition to it being a creative outlet, reducing waste, and being affordable, it can be done in a way that gives back to our communities. What I mean by that is that upcycling clothing may involve shopping in our community thrift stores. As you would expect for the family-friendly community of Roseville, several thrift stores do incredible work to support local charities. Roseville has it all! Read on to learn all about the art of upcycling clothing and where to find the best places to shop while supporting your favorite charitable causes.
Upcycling is a Win/Win Situation
There’s no doubt that influencers in the fashion industry set trends that take on different versions within a culture. Upcycling clothing is an excellent example of that and started with designers like Coach, Marni, Miu Miu, and Balenciaga doing things like creating new products created from existing garments. From creating patch worked outerwear from existing garments to integrating antique pieces that are sourced from vintage stores, top designers have sparked enormous interest in upcycling clothing.
A great thing about upcycling is its many benefits. The Roseville community has a beautiful collection of charitable organizations' thrift stores. For those who love to use thrift stores as their go-to for materials, the huge benefit is that they can do so while supporting their charity of choice. Whether creating something for themselves or for someone on a holiday gift list, shopping at a charitable organization's thrift store is truly a win/win situation.
Great Cause Supported by Great People
A local charitable organization's thrift store is an integral part of fundraising to support their cause. Like many people who shop in thrift stores, I like doing it as a way of helping my favorite causes. Each of my four favorite charitable organization thrift stores has something that sets them apart from the others, but all are equally wonderful at what they offer. The help they provide the charitable cause they support.
As a person who loves to help animals, my favorite thrift store in Roseville is Placer SPCA. This lovely thrift store has housewares, jewelry, furniture, and lots of clothing. I've had great luck finding unusual and pet-centric clothing that's perfect for upcycling. When shopping there, your money goes directly towards helping the homeless and abandoned animals in Placer County. I love shopping there not only because of the variety of clothing but also because it allows me to chat with other animal rescue people.
Another two of my favorite local charitable organization thrift stores that are similar to each other are the Roseville Hospice Thrift Store and the Roseville American Cancer Society Discovery Shop. These stores have the same boutique vibe and carry very similar household and clothing items. If you want to make vintage jewelry a part of your thrift store treasure hunt, there’s no place Roseville American Cancer Society Discovery Shop to do it. If you have a specific designer clothing label in mind, start with Roseville Hospice Thrift Store.
Last but not least, of my four top favorites that I have to mention is the ReNew Acres of Hope. The thrift store's mission is to help women and children through the process of change, healing, and growth while overcoming adversity. ReNew Acres of Hope thrift stores are huge! They're so big that a dedicated shop is given to clothing and another shop is for household goods. I'd say this store has the broadest selection of clothing because of the sizable youth and teen clothing section.
Upcycling Ideas
One thing I love about the upcycling trend is that the ideas are endless. I'll list those I've tried but provide a word of caution that this list is only a drop in the bucket of what is possible. My journey started with sewing a pocket on a tee-shirt. From there, I got a wee bit more adventurous and turned a shirt into a blouse by removing the sleeves and adding a bow to one side of the bottom of the blouse. With courage built upon that success, I ventured into turning jeans into shorts. Well, then things got really fun, and I turned jeans into a skirt and added a flair side to the bottom of another pair of jeans. With the fabric I used to create the flair, I also made a bow on the bottom of a shirt, so I had a matching outfit. I also created a hat and a scarf out of a sweater. Once I got the hang of it, it seemed like everything I owned could use a bit of a change, thanks to a few shopping trips to the stores I’ve mentioned.
But not all clothing is a candidate for upcycling. Here are a few things to keep in mind. It's okay to use frayed and torn clothing because most items have some usable fabric to work with. Look for where the seams are and use that to guide your project. Some stitching is easier to take apart than others, and sometimes it's the seam details that make the project attractive. Approach each piece with an open mind to get the most fun out of your upcycling creations.
Upcycling clothing is such a fun and useful thing to do. Not only does it cut down on the amount of clothing headed for landfills, but it also serves as a fantastic way to support local charitable organizations while providing material for your upcycling journey.
Roseville Self Storage
At Roseville Self Storage, we’re very proud of being part of such a well-rounded community. We not only love to share what we learn about great shops that support the community; we like to help our valued customers with ideas that support the things they care about. Upcycling clothing can mean gathering a collection of treasured finds for future use. Instead of taking up valuable closet, shelving, and drawer space in your home, self-storage is the perfect way to keep clothing items clean and organized for future use. As your neighborhood self-storage facility, Roseville Self Storage has a large variety of unit sizes for you to choose from. Come by and visit our state-of-the-art facility. We'd not only love to show you what we can offer, but we'd also love to learn about some of your favorite Roseville thrift stores. We're open, practicing social distancing, and we look forward to seeing you soon.
Placer SPCA
931 Washington Blvd. #107,
Roseville, CA 95678
(916) 782-2434
Hours of operation are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
https://placerspca.org/support/thrift/
Roseville Hospice Thrift Store
212 Harding Blvd
Roseville Ca 95678
916-783-5509
Hours of operation are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed on Sunday.
American Cancer Society Discovery Shop
1813 Douglas Blvd. Ste B-5
Roseville, CA 95678
916-786-7773 Please call for current hours of operation.
ReNew Acres of Hope
1725 Santa Clara Dr.
Roseville, CA 95678
916-788-0275
Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed on Sunday.
https://www.acresofhopeonline.org/renewstores/
