Thrifting is a great way to help the environment and find unique pieces  

These days, shopping for new clothes, accessories and home decor can feel expensive and too much of one style or trend. Thrifting in the Greater Cincinnati area is a great option to find unique pieces and learn sustainable shopping habits that also help our environment. In 2018, landfills received 11.3 million tons of textiles such as clothes, shoes or furniture, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Shopping and donating at thrift stores is a great way to help our Earth and the communities around us.  

Valley Thrift Store in Fairfield is a perfect place to find a wide variety of second-hand clothing, accessories, home goods and furniture. A highly organized store, it is easy to find all shopping needs and consistently features discounts and 50% off specials. The store is open from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.  

St. Vincent De Paul Cincinnati (SVDP) has a thrift and donation store that is a great place to get rid of older clothes or shoes and pick up new ones that fit your style. Buying from SVDP also helps the nonprofit support those in the community who have clothing or food insecurities and can benefit from their programs. There are many stores throughout the Cincinnati area as well as locations for donation boxes to send clothes to their stores.  

Indigo Hippo is an art thrift store for artists looking to spend less on art supplies and find new ways to create. The store also offers a pay what you can method leaving it up to the shoppers to decide within the range the store suggests. It also accepts donations of gently used art supplies and encourages people to use their recycling methods through their creative reuse center. Indigo Hippo has a location in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood and in Hamilton.  

New Life Furniture Thrift Store focuses on thrifted furniture and home decor that is affordable and one of a kind. Each purchase and donation also helps the New Life Furniture Bank that benefits community members in need in Cincinnati, Dayton and Northern Kentucky. Its inventory changes often and it recommends visiting often and keeping an open mind to have the best thrifting experience.     

Secret Sister Thrift Boutique is based in Ludlow, Kentucky, and sells curated thrifted clothing for men and women. It is also a great place to find unique accessories, jewelry and home items that might not be found in bigger stores. The boutique is open Wednesday 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.