The Bargain Box in Cody, WY is Good for the Community and Earth

Did you know that fast fashion is responsible for 8 to 10% of annual greenhouse gas

emissions?*

Fast fashion is the growing cycle of producing trendy high-end design copies with low quality materials. The clothing is often made out of synthetic fibers, such as polyester or acrylic, which are petroleum based materials. On top of that, fast fashion's production cycle is ultra condensed. Traditional fashion production cycles take months to perfect garments, while fast fashion items only take a couple of weeks to be made and sold. Along with generating large amounts of waste, fast fashion yields massive profits for major corporations.

On the consumer’s end, many are caught in a cycle of buying due to poor quality, cheap costs, and the disposable nature of fast fashion pieces. Non-fast fashion clothing brands commit to produce clothing sustainably and ethically in ways that are beneficial for the planet, the consumer, and workers. Unfortunately, high prices prevent many consumers from accessing sustainable and ethically produced clothing.

The Bargain Box Clothing Store: A Solution to Fast Fashion

The Bargain Box accepts community donations to keep as much clothing as possible out of the waste stream, saving the local landfill tons in trash each year. Much of the clothing is steamed, priced, and displayed in a boutique thrift store setting. Consumers purchase quality used clothing at a reasonable price. An additional benefit for the consumer is that used clothing offers less exposure to harsh chemicals used to manufacture fast fashion garments.

The Bargain Box decreases trash in the environment, offers a place for donors to easily recycle their clothes, and gives shoppers an upbeat bargain shopping experience.

Bargain Box Community Benefits

Notably, The Bargain Box donates profits back into the local community through grants in a process overseen by the Mission Committee of Christ Episcopal Church. The Bargain Box prioritizes supporting the community, especially through grants to local non-profits. Last year, the Bargain Box funded 44 community grants for a total of $119,303. 

In 2018, The Bargain Box Stores became the first local retail stores to offer their employees $15 per hour. In addition, the stores invite employees to participate in shared defined contribution retirement benefit program. Bargain Box management strives to give annual wage increases that outstrip inflation.

Additionally, The Bargain Box operates a Bargain Bucks voucher system where Bargain Bucks are given to local social service agencies and non-profits for use by clients in need. Military Veterans and Visa holders (HB-1 and J1) receive a 50% off discount at the stores. Additionally, every day there is a 50% off sale on select items at each store.

A “free bin” is maintained at the Bargain Box Clothing Store, where donations with flaws, such as stains or tears, are placed for the community at large. There is an active effort made to reuse donations received. For example, older or torn cotton t-shirts are sold in bulk as rags to local businesses. Children’s clothes that have not sold after a while are packed up and shared with the Wind River Reservation, and volunteers bring adult clothing to the Crow and Cheyenne reservations in Montana.

Check out the Bargain Box Clothing Store at the base of the 13th Street hill in Cody. It is

a convenient, fun, and low cost way to fight climate change.

For more information on Fast fashion see:

Corbone, Paula M. “Fast Fashion Affects Climate, Exploits Workers and Creates

Enormous Textile Waste.” Scientific American, November 26, 2024.

*Niinimäki, Kirsi, Peters, Greg, Dahlbo, Helena, Perry, Patsy, Rissanen, Timo, and

Alison Gwilt. “The environmental price of fast fashion”. Nature, April, 2020.