Here at GTGH, we take our inspiration & impetus for action from a variety of vantage points, believing we each have a role to play in making the world a more just, equitable, and peaceful place for all. In our 17 years of hosting annual gift fairs that focus on charitable giving to support the work of nonprofit organizations, we have broadened our focus not just on the actions & choices we can conscientiously take during the holidays, but also on our everyday purchasing habits and our mindset as we seek to meet the needs of our neighbors both here in Lancaster and around the world.
Shop upcycled, thrift, sustainable, conscientious fashion & lifestyle.
Here is a list of our previous marketplace participants:
Neighbors Cafe & Community Center Women’s Global Village empowers refugee women newly arriving to Lancaster to sew craft items together, telling their stories with art and colorful fabrics. The women meet weekly to receive art and business training. Through this program, their skills are valued and they receive income for their craftsmanship.
Sources of Inspiration: How to be a Fashion Revolutionary: Fashion Revolution Week 2024 Press Release 1
Learn about Slow Fashion: https://slowfashion.global/
Recommended Reading/Listening: OVERDRESSED — Elizabeth L. Cline #buythechange - TO THE MARKET
Is 'Toxic Fashion' making us sick? A look at the chemicals lurking in our clothes
Gifts That Give Hope, Lancaster offers gifts that support the tenants of Earth Day to care for the environment through our everyday actions; GTGH is proud to partner with nonprofit organizations like The Wittel Farm & The Edible Classroom, Lancaster Farm Sanctuary, to name a few, who advocate for and work towards a more balanced ecosystem in and around Lancaster county and its related connection to food insecurity and supporting food, water, energy, and waste equity for marginalized communities.
Be a Part of Secondhand Sunday 2024!
Secondhand Sunday Encourages People to Give Used Gifts
Secondhand Sunday was spearheaded by the company Poshmark and first recognized on the Sunday following Thanksgiving in 2022 and we are happy to come alongside this emerging initiative to emphasize our shared values of promoting shopping patterns that truly take the environment into consideration while kicking off a more simplified yet thoughtful approach to the holiday season and gift giving in general. More here Introducing Secondhand Sunday: Encouraging Everyone to Shop Secondhand this Holiday Season
‘Poshmark commissioned global research firm Morning Consult to assess the secondhand market. It found that over 90% of American adults say they would be willing to receive a secondhand or resold gift this season, but only 34% are likely to buy them for others. This suggests a "massive opportunity to close the gap"’
You can imagine our excitement when we found out that the Sunday after Thanksgiving was recently designated as “Secondhand Sunday” in 2022. Our spirits are buoyed to promote and celebrate alongside an initiative of this magnitude to continue our ongoing efforts to promote conscientious shopping practices by patronizing the myriad of social enterprises, businesses for good, fair trade entities, B Corps and more who annually converge in the GTGH Marketplace.
Amber McCasland, vice president of Global Brand and Communications, told Treehugger that consumers have become familiar with dedicated shopping days in the calendar.
"Our team saw an opportunity to hack traditional holiday shopping patterns by shining a spotlight on the many benefits of secondhand shopping and selling ... Secondhand Sunday aims to redirect holiday shopping away from mass consumption of new goods toward choices that support individual economic empowerment, social connection, and environmental sustainability. Secondhand Sunday encourages shoppers to think about who they're buying from and support secondhand sellers during the peak holiday shopping season."
All About Circular Fashion
Circular Fashion” is described by The Sustainable Fashion Forum as “an economic model, rooted in Indigenous principles, designed to minimize waste and make the most of resources. It's a departure from the traditional linear economy, which follows a “take-make-dispose” pattern, where resources are extracted, used to create products, and then discarded as waste.
In a Circular Economy, the goal is to keep resources in use for as long as possible, extracting the maximum value from them while in use, and then recovering and regenerating products and materials at the end of their service life.” What is Circular Fashion?
Change Your Gift-Giving Mindset
We not only invite you to save the date for the 17th annual gift fair on SUNDAY DECEMBER 1st but we also strive to provide year-round content that connects you to the nonprofits, social enterprises, changemakers, and advocates all around Lancaster County and beyond who are using their voice to make a positive impact in the community & world at large. Remember that you can make charitable contributions on our website YEAR ROUND for all of your gift-giving needs!
