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Thrifted Goodies: Why Thrifting is the Ultimate of Eco-Friendly Practices
By Rachel
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Last Updated on January 29, 2026 by Rachel
Thrifting is fun, exciting and saves you money, but it also goes much deeper than that. Learn why thrifting is the ultimate of eco-friendly practices AND check out my latest thrifted goodies!
It’s time for another thrifted goodies…wahoo! These are some of my favorite blog posts to write because I love to talk about thrifting—the thrill of the hunt and the joy of finding unique treasures brings me such joy! But today, instead of simply showing you what I found, I want to go a bit deeper into the ‘why’ behind thrifting. Thrifting isn’t just about saving money… it’s one of the most impactful, sustainable acts we as humans can adopt. Why thrifting is the ultimate of eco-friendly practices?? Let’s chat about that.
The Environmental Impact of Thrifting
Here at The Antiqued Journey, I am committed to creating as eco-friendly of a home as possible, with as least waste as I can, and showing you how to do the same. This starts by giving new life to old things!
Through thrift shopping, we as a collective society have the ability to:
- Reduce ‘Fast Decor’ Waste: The environmental cost of modern, mass-produced home decor including things like packaging, shipping costs/emissions and low-quality materials, all end up in landfills. Because our culture today is so ‘buy, buy, buy’, our landfills are filling up at such an alarming rate!
- Contribute Positively to the Circular Economy: We’ve all heard the saying ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ since we were kids, right? But it’s so true! Buying items secondhand keeps large portions of unwanted goods out of the waste stream.
- Preserve Resources: When thrifting, no new raw materials (wood, metal, water, etc…) were used to produce your latest vintage finds; they simply already existed without having to use any resources to create them!
Our planet is extremely precious. Without it, we literally have nothing. Caring for the environment is so important to me and thrifting is one of the best ways I know how. Join me below for my thrift haul and to learn more about thrifting as a sustainable practice!
Thrifted Goodies: Why Thrifting is the Ultimate of Eco-Friendly Practices
Hello, guys! It’s the first thrifting post of 2026 and I could not be more excited.
Welcome, or welcome back, to the blog and to the next installment in the ‘Thrifted Goodies’ series! If you are new around here, welcome!
This is a monthly series where my friend MaryJo from the blog Master’pieces’ of my Life and I share thrift hauls, thrifting tips, and general thrift shopping advice.
MasterPieces of My Life
My partner in this series, MaryJo, is sharing a post all about her recent thrifted finds and how she’s styled them. How great is that?!
After you are done here, head over to her post and say hello! You may find just the thing you are looking for.
MasterPieces of My Life Social Channels:
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How Thrifting Creates Truly Eco-Friendly Homes
Before we get into the vintage decor that I found this month, I wanted to briefly touch on how thrifting creates a sustainable home. Because, truly, sourcing decor and goods secondhand is, like, the ultimate eco-friendly decorating method!
- An eco-friendly home does not equal cold, modern, or industrial. If that’s your jam, than by all means, do that. But, with thrifted finds, a sustainable home can be one that’s full of soul-warm, cozy, and oozing with character!
- Thrifting helps us to be more intentional. When we thrift, we inherently shop slower. We wait for the right price, or right piece, rather than impulse buying what’s trending.
- Buying things secondhand, from vintage stores or thrift shops, helps us to live in a healthy environment. Vintage pieces, especially those made before the era of glue and other chemicals, often contribute to better indoor air quality. You see, brand new pieces ‘off-gas’ harmful chemicals into our home and who wants that?!
Shop the Sustainable Home Decor Look
If you’re ready to start your own sustainable home journey but don’t know where to look, my ebook Found and Favored is the perfect field guide!
This Month’s Thrifted Goodies #43 Haul + Styling Ideas
Okay! Now knowing all that, let’s get into this month’s haul. I’ll share what I found, how much I paid, why I bought it, and how I’m using it in my home. I’ll also give a sustainability angle for each item, stating my reasons as to why it’s a more eco-friendly option.
1. Milk Glass Candlesticks
You may have seen these beauties in my most recent winter decorating post, but can you believe these?! I’ve always admired these tall Fenton milk glass hobnail candlesticks online but the prices on them are always much too high. But, I scored the pair for just $10!! Wahoo!
For winter, I have them styled on the mantel alongside other vintage decor and winter elements like pinecones and cedar stems. As far as using candles in them goes, I usually opt for flameless. For me, it just feels safer as I’ve had many a real wax candle topple over before. The faux taper candles these days are so realistic looking that I don’t even miss the real deal…mine even flicker!
Why This is Sustainable: Glass is infinitely recyclable! And, even better, these vintage pieces are built to last a lifetime. By choosing vintage milk glass over modern plastic or resin candle holders, you are opting for a non-toxic, durable material that won’t off-gas or break easily, making it a staple for eco-friendly homes.
2. Restaurantware Platter
Next up is a super pretty Shenango restaurantware platter in a pattern that I’ve never seen before! I saw the blue floral sticking out from beneath and my vintage radar went off. I scooped it up and turned it over to reveal the price…only $2.99!!
I adore platters because they are such a versatile piece of decor and they aren’t just for the kitchen! For the season, I placed the platter in with a vignette that I already had styled on my bedroom dresser. It fits perfectly tucked in there, like it was meant to be!
Why This is Sustainable: Restaurantware, a collectible ceramic, was specifically designed for restaurants, meaning it needed to be utilized for heavy-duty use and longevity. Buying these secondhand is a great eco-friendly practice because it saves a high-energy production item from being manufactured from scratch, and its durability ensures it won’t need to be replaced for decades.
Now, you might notice that there is a bit of color bleeding on the pattern itself. And, I found it interesting that on the back, the stamp is marked ‘seconds’. I’ve never come across this before so I dove a little deeper into it to see what I could find.
Common Reasons for “Seconds” Marking on Vintage Ceramics
When a vintage ironstone piece, such as a platter, is marked ‘seconds’ on the bottom, it means the item did not pass the manufacturer’s final quality control and was then sold at a reduced price. These pieces have minor, barely noticeable imperfections but are still considered functional, durable, and safe for use.
Some common flaws on ‘seconds’ can be:
- Minor Glaze Flaws- pinholes, small bubbles, or areas where the glaze didn’t completely cover
- Firing Issues- such as warping or areas of ‘plucking’ on the bottom where it got stuck to the kiln
- Decoration Flaws- misaligned patterns, fading, or bleeding of color/pattern (which is the case on my platter)
- Physical Defects- small scratches or indents in the glaze
Isn’t that interesting?! I found that fascinating as I was reading about it. In the vintage and thrifting world, I’m constantly learning new things and I LOVE it!
3. Kay Dee Winter Linen Art
Yes, I purchased another Kay Dee linen art! This is now my fifth one to add to my growing collection and I’m so happy about it.
If you are unaware as to what these are, this artist paints the most dreamy scenes on linen and then frames them. It’s the most unique art and truly captivating with how vibrant the colors are!
I actually used some Christmas money to buy this one off of eBay. After taxes and shipping, I believe the price was around $20, which is not bad for an online marketplace (you can’t even purchase brand new art for that cheap of a price nowadays)! These pictures are getting extremely hard to find out in the wild, so I’ve been turning to online sources for this particular item.
For winter, I hung my new art piece above the mantel. Paired with green books and wintry trees, it’s the most cozy aesthetic!
Why This is Sustainable: Kay Dee art is made with 100% linen or cotton, which are natural, biodegradable fibers that are much kinder to the Earth than synthetic blends found in modern decor. Repurposing vintage items is a creative way to up-cycle and prevent beautiful art, and fabrics, from ending up in the textile waste stream.
4. Ironstone Lidded Dish
You guys…I can’t even with this thing! I mean…a bow handle?! So stinkin’ cute.
Hubby and I were doing some vintage shopping the other weekend and stopped in at one of my favorite stores. I literally hadn’t taken two steps inside the door and this was sitting there, all pretty and adorable.
I’ve never seen this type of shape on an ironstone dish before and, for just $12, I knew she had to come home with me!
For now, I have the dish styled in my winter hutch decor. But, the beauty about ironstone is that it can be used all year round, and in any space, so I’ll move it around the house for the upcoming seasons, I’m sure!
Why This is Sustainable: This is the ultimate multi-purpose vintage piece for a sustainable home. Using a lidded ironstone dish for food storage, as a serving piece, or as decor, helps you eliminate the need for disposable containers. It’s a beautiful, plastic-free alternative that adds character while supporting a zero-waste lifestyle. (These are super great for storing tea bags, too)
5. Winter Watercolor Painting
Next up is yet another art piece! When I find good art at the thrift store, it’s like winning the lottery.
I mean, how serene is this pretty watercolor painting? I love vintage watercolor art. Combine it with a countryside scene and consider me sold. Oh, and did I mention that it was just $4.99?!
For the winter season, I hung it on a wall adjacent to my hutch in the dining room. Vintage art is my go-to for bringing in color to a room and, as always, adds beautiful, story-filled character.
Why This is Sustainable: Modern art usually comes wrapped in excessive plastic, styrofoam and cardboard. By purchasing pre-loved art, you are opting for zero-packaging decor. Plus, vintage frames are often made of real wood rather than the MDF or plastic composites used today, which are difficult to recycle.
6. Milk Glass Butter Dish
I’ve saved the best for last. You guys…I’ve been hunting for a hobnail milk glass butter dish to add to my milk glass collection for literal years.
A few weeks before Christmas, hubby and I made a stop at one of our favorite antique malls. We were down to the last few booths when, all of a sudden, I spotted it…a glorious hobnail milk glass butter dish, sitting right underneath a light that was angelically showing off it’s ring of fire. I couldn’t believe it!
Now, usually when I find these, they are much too expensive. So, with one eye shut, I carefully turned over the price tag…$25!!!! WAHOO!
And, even crazier, was that the whole mall was running a 20% off sale so I think I got it for right around $20. I was SO happy! I told hubby that it could be my stocking stuffer for Christmas, so he wrapped it up and put it away. On Christmas morning, I re-lived my excitement all over again 🙂
I wanted to display my most coveted milk glass piece in all it’s beauty, so it sits front and center in my hutch.
This just goes to show you…patience pays off! If you have been hunting for a specific thing for a long time, you will find it. I promise!
Why This is Sustainable: Choosing glass over plastic for food-related items is one of the healthiest eco-friendly practices for your home. Unlike plastic butter dishes that can scratch and harbor bacteria (and will eventually need to be thrown away), milk glass is non-porous, easy to clean, and will stay timeless, no matter the trend cycle.
Eco-Friendly Practices for the Conscious Thrifter
Before you embark on your next thrifting trip, here are a few examples of mindful matters that thrift shopping gifts not only us, but the Earth as well.
Quality Over Quantity
I buy vintage because of it’s heirloom quality. When you buy a quality item the first time around, you may never have to buy a replacement, or if you do, it will be many years down the road, not months.
No New Packaging
Thrifting allows you to bring items home without the plastic wrap and styrofoam associated with big-box stores. Thrift stores also recycle others’ used paper and plastic bags and utilize them for store customer’s purchases!
Tips for Your Next Sustainable Thrifting Trip
The next time you find yourself heading to the thrift store, here are a handful of tips to try, or think about, so that we as a collective society can be as green as possible. I abide by these tips myself and hope that they encourage you!
- Bring Your Own Bags: This is a very simple way to reduce waste.
- Look for Multi-Use Pieces: When I thrift, I always buy items that can transition between seasons, not just a one-time deal. Think baskets, neutral pottery or ceramics (like ironstone and milk glass), frames, or clear vases and jars.
- Shop Your Home First: Before buying something new, even from a thrift store, ask yourself: Do I need this? Where/how it will be used in my home? Can I use something I already own for the intended purpose? Will I use this often or just occasionally? Because, truly, the most eco-friendly item is the one you already own.
Closing Tidbits on Thrifted Goodies: Why Thrifting is the Ultimate of Eco-Friendly Practices
With that, this closes out the thrifted goodies for the month. I sincerely hope you can see, or at least start to see, why thrifting is the ultimate of eco-friendly practices! Every time you choose a thrifted item over a new one, you are casting a vote for a healthier planet. For that, I applaud you.
Be encouraged to thrift your way to an eco-friendly and sustainable home, one curated find at a time.
Stay green friends, and happy thrifting!
Leave me a comment! What is your favorite eco-friendly thrift find this month? I love hearing from you!
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Shop My Favorite Thrift Shopping Essentials
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The Sustainable Choice: Why Vintage Decor is Eco-Friendly
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2 Comments. Leave new
Great article Rachel & agree with you 100%. Great finds as always and always fun to share. XO- MJ
Thanks so much! Always so fun!