Hi there everyone, I hope that you are all well after a safe and merry xmas with your family and friends.
There are so many markets around the world that I can't wait to see and hopefully one day I will.
I hardly ever get to a market these days as we were in lockdown for so long, that many haven't quite opened up here, except for the main food markets (which are also very touristy and expensive) so I haven't posted on here in a while.
However I realised today that I was in a market- just not the traditional market we think of when we hear the word market.
This market doesn't sell food, but it does sell everything else- almost.
It is called an op-shop here in Australia- short for opportunity shop, as everything they sell is second hand goods donated by the general public, as well as actual shops, particularly clothes and shoe shops, which gives the more economically challenged, the financially disadvantaged, the opportunity to buy things that they would not normally be able to afford if they bought it brand new in a 'proper' shop.
In the #USA, #Canada and I'm sure other countries, it would be known as a #thrift store.
Most, if not all Op or thrift shops are usually charity based, meaning that they are a non-profit organisation (NPO) and the proceeds that they make usually go straight to the #charity that created them, so for instance the Salvation Army (or Salvo's as we call them) is an opshop and the profits go straight into the Salvation Army charity which supports a number of initiatives all to support a range of different causes, and St Vinnies opshop, sends it's profits from the shop straight to the St Vincent's Church.
And that where this one is slightly different. https://www.instagram.com/savers_au/
Although Savers is a for profit business, #Savers is Partnered with a non profit charity and here in #Australia that #Charity organisation is #DiabetesVictoria.
So Savers accepts donations (thank you) on behalf of a local nonprofit, in our case, Diabetes Victoria.
Savers pay our nonprofit partners for your stuff, helping them fund programs in the community.
The one-of-a-kind finds are given a second chance to be loved again by opshoppers and thrifters like you.
Together, we champion reuse and keep millions of reusable items out of landfills every year.
Back in 1954, our first thrift shop called an old movie theater in #SanFrancisco’s Mission District home. From day one, we gave shoppers what they were looking for: stylish finds at unbelievable savings.
Since then, we’ve opened stores across the U.S., Canada, and #Australia and have consistently partnered with local nonprofit organisations. We accept #donations of clothing and household items on their behalf, paying them for that stuff, and helping fund programs in our communities.
We’ve chosen to keep our business model this way—to buy our supply from local nonprofits. But we didn’t stop there. We’ve also created a leading #recycling and #reuse program, where we keep, on average, 317.5 million kilograms of reusable items out of area #landfills every year. https://www.savers.com.au/about-us
By choosing to purchase the goods that supply our stores from local nonprofit organisations, we provide steady revenue that helps support each of their missions. Our supply partners do vital work in our #communities, including supporting and empowering those affected by diabetes, campaigning for child safety, and providing bereavement counselling for those affected by the death of a child.
Finding a second or third use for pre-loved items is what we do, and we recognise the #global demand for #secondhand goods. So, we partner with buyers both near and far to extend the life of items that don’t sell on our sales floors.
What's passed over in our stores is sold to small business owners—allowing them to supply their local communities with gently used, affordable items like clothing, housewares, toys, and shoes.
In fact, these goods are sold within reuse markets across six continents and 34 countries. https://www.savers.com.au/thrift-proud/impact
The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters in the world. Twelve billion kilograms of clothing and textiles pile up in landfills each year—95% of which could have been re-worn or repurposed. As a global leader in reuse, we know that when we all make small changes, together we can make a big impact on our planet. Because the most sustainable clothing...is the clothing that already exists. https://www.savers.com.au/thrift-proud/rethink-reuse
Since 1953 Diabetes Victoria has been the peak consumer body and leading charity representing, supporting, educating and empowering all Victorians who have been affected in some way by Diabetes. https://www.diabetesvic.org.au/AboutUsDetails?tags=Aboutus&content_id=a1R0o00000MLp8NEAT&bdc=1
So you can see just how aweseme this Op/thrift shop is, as not only does it sell practically anything and everything at fantastically great, low prices for everyone to be able to afford it, but the merchandise if completely unique and best of all, Savers promotes the Reuse, recycling and upcycling of so many products that would go into landfill. https://www.instagram.com/savers_au/
So this market really is a WIN WIN WIN WIN.
A WIN for us- the consumers, A WIN for those de-cluttering their lives, a WIN for Diabetes Victoria and a WIN for the future of this extraordinary earth.
What more could you want in a market, so if you anywhere in the USA, Canada or even Melbourne and Adelaide in Australia, then make sure you make the effort to go and check out these brilliant stores! https://www.instagram.com/savers_au/
Savers- https://www.savers.com
Value Village US- https://www.valuevillage.com
Value Village CA- https://www.valuevillage.ca
Village des Valeurs- https://www.villagedesvaleurs.ca
Savers AU- https://www.savers.com.au/
#MarketFriday was created by the wonderful 
And I send my warmest regards and biggest wishes that you, your family and friends have a wonderful, warm, safe and amazing new year filled with an abundance of love, peace, harmony, good health, much happiness and success!
With Love from Australia
XXX
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