First stop for socio-eco friendly clothes in LA: Buffalo Exchange, for recycled fashion.
I must’ve been channeling Anna: “if really going green, always helps to avoid buying new ‘stuff.’”
True ’nuff — Of the reduce, reuse, recycle triumvirate, Umbra advises rechanneling the energy spent obsessing about the third to focus more on the first two.
Thus, my wardrobe plan: hit the thrift-y stores for the stuff I need first, before buying anything new.
Now Buffalo Exchange isn’t like Goodwill and Out of the Closet, where anything and everything makes it on the racks.
Buffalo’s pickier. The stuff’s cute and well organized by size, so finding a new pair of sexy jeans isn’t like looking for a needle in the haystack.
My finds: 2 pairs of jeans, one dark, one light, and a silver top. Total cost: $60.03 after tax.
And when I declined a bag, I got a lil 5 cent token — part of Buffalo’s Tokens for Bags plan — to donate to a charity. You can get real money too — or store credit — if you trade in your old duds.
No stores close by? Buffalo Exchange has an eBay store too.
Buffalo Exchange. 131 N. La Brea. Los Angeles. 323.938.8604. M-Sa 11 am-8 pm, Su 12 pm-7 pm.
Update, Feb. ’06: While in San Francisco, I shopped at Campers and Crossroads, both companies that also have stores in LA. If you’re in NoCal, you might also drop by these stores.
Update, 3/4/06: LA Weekly offers some tips on how to get the most bang for your buck when cashing in your clothes in LA. Try the shops in this order: Wasteland, Crossroads, Buffalo Exchange, and Squresville.
Wow, I was so glad to stumble on to your sight. Great post. I am a greenNYCgirl, I have a project to photograph my clothes and try to go for 50% sustainability over the course of 2006 and am also hoping to launch a small green collection. Anyway, my blog is a kind of a “my-so-called-green-life” in NYC, where I am, what I am wearing, with some eco, art, fashion, & political news thrown in, plus products and a little ebay. I’d love to do a post on your blog. Would you be up for sending me a jpeg of yourself in some sustainable l.a. style?
Comment by jdanyelle — January 24, 2006 @ 12:05 am
I bet you’re so very happy after shopping, Siel, esp. at Buffalo Exchange. There are 2 Buff Ex in SF: one to be on Haight St. I love them…I found and bought some cute fancy clothes from there…I have not found recycled clothes store here in Antibes. Maybe one day I could start it myself…:-D Good picks, Siel.
Comment by Maya — January 24, 2006 @ 1:42 am
only one problem I have with Buffalo Exchange (and some other similar stores) — it’s hard to find clothes in larger sizes. I wear a 12/14, and I can’t always find good stuff in there.
However, I’ve been working out (and will continue to do so). Hopefully, I’ll drop a size or two and be able to enjoy the cute clothes I see whenever I go shopping there.
Comment by Leah — January 24, 2006 @ 9:29 am
Hmmm — Didn’t know about those difficulties at Buffalo Exchange. I’m for all women’s clothing stores being accessible and helpful for all women, regardless of size…
I wonder if maybe you could take some of your clothes in — you know, the ones you’re sorta sick of for whatev reason — to make it easier on the other women in the 12/14 size range looking for cute stuff at Buffalo Exchange? :)
Comment by Siel — January 25, 2006 @ 6:08 pm
i love buffalo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:]
Comment by samantha — March 11, 2006 @ 1:24 pm