Emmaus Hertfordshire is calling on people to ditch Black Friday and instead join others across the country to show support for the more sustainable and affordable Buy Nothing New Day, held this year on 27th November.

In contrast to Black Friday, which sees customers rushing to make impulse purchases as retailers slash their prices for one day, Buy Nothing New Day aims to raise awareness of consumerism and encourage customers to shop more ethically, using their spending power to have a positive impact.

We support up to 39 people who have experienced homelessness and social exclusion and fundraise through our social enterprises, which along with house clearances, includes selling pre-loved furniture, clothing, books, collectables and more through its shops and online. While our physical shops are closed through lockdown, we are still selling items on eBay and have recently received a major national award for our eBay store www.ebay.co.uk/str/emmaushertfordshire. We are also offering a Click and Collect service on items shown on our Instagram pages.

Speaking about Buy Nothing New Day our Chief Executive John Chesters said:

“At Emmaus we’ve known for a long time that second-hand does not mean lower quality, and now we are seeing a real move towards more people choosing to buy pre-loved and completely unique upcycled items.

“Our supporters donate some amazing items, from designer clothing and accessories through to solid wood furniture so there is always something amazing to be found by browsing our shops or by visiting our eBay shop. 

“When you buy from an Emmaus shop you are not only supporting us with the work we do with formerly homeless people here in Hertfordshire, but you are also significantly reducing the amount of items that end up in landfill each year, and paying a lot less for them – it’s a win win situation!”