What holiday falls on the first Monday in October? Well, a lot of them actually, but the one we want to talk about is National Consignment Day. This holiday is designed to promote consignment in the apparel industry as a way to cut down on the industry’s waste.

Every year, 75% of manufactured apparel, or about 60 billion pieces of apparel, end up in landfills. Consignment offers new and gently used items that are available at a fraction of the cost of the retail price. That’s a good reason to celebrate this holiday and not only save the environment but also the money in your wallet.

The History of National Consignment Day

This holiday was founded in 2017 by The RealReal—a luxury consignment company that sells the handbags and used items people want on consignment. This company was first founded in 2011 and has been offering luxury consignments ever since.

Some Quick & Entertaining Facts About Consignment Stores

Below are some fascinating consignment store facts that we’ve learned about during the course of doing research for National Consignment Day.

• Consignment stores are different from thrift stores and usually have higher-end stock.
• Consignment store inventory is always changing.
• It’s easier to find unique pieces in consignment stores than it is in retail stores.
• Consignment stores won’t accept everything, especially items that are broken or too worn.
• Consignment stores usually clean all their merchandise prior to selling it.
• Consignment stores help ease the burden on the environment.

Observing National Consignment Day

On this holiday, everyone is encouraged to learn more about consignment and how it might benefit them. It’s also a good day to donate used clothing to a company that will keep it out of the landfill. Share the love of this holiday with everyone on the Internet by using the hashtag #NationalConsignmentDay while posting to social media.