Together, we can turn September into a month of sustainable action.
Secondhand September was conceived as a response to the urgent need for more sustainable consumer habits. Launched by the National Association for Charitable Textile Recycling (NACTR), this initiative aims to inspire people to make a conscious change by embracing secondhand buying for the month of September. Recognizing the harmful effects of fast fashion, overconsumption, and waste, NACTR sought to create a dedicated time to raise awareness and shift buying habits toward sustainability.
The vision behind Secondhand September is to spark a movement—one that encourages individuals, businesses, and communities to choose secondhand items, reduce waste, and promote a circular economy. While still in its early stages, Secondhand September aspires to grow into a global campaign, uniting those passionate about sustainability and showing that small, thoughtful actions can lead to meaningful change for our planet.
We started Secondhand September to address the growing environmental crisis caused by overconsumption and waste. The National Association for Charitable Textile Recycling (NACTR) saw the need for a focused campaign to raise awareness and encourage more sustainable choices. By promoting secondhand buying, we aim to reduce the demand for new products, lower waste in landfills, and help people see the value in reusing and recycling. This initiative seeks to shift consumer habits toward more thoughtful, responsible living—showing that small, everyday actions can lead to big environmental impacts.
Secondhand shopping often supports local businesses and charities, strengthening our communities.
Every secondhand purchase helps keep items out of landfills and reduces the demand for new production.
We aim to inspire long-term change by showing people that secondhand can be just as valuable, stylish, and practical as buying new.
Buying pre-loved items saves the energy, water, and materials required to create new products.
See who is participating in Secondhand September
