Feel-Good Fashion

Shop with purpose: 6 clothing and accessory brands committed to good looks andgood causes

Chooze shoes help lift people out of poverty.
Edun hopes produce 40 percent of its seasonal collection within the Africancommunity by 2013.
Sales of Eye on the Sparrow jewelry help support the Carter Albrecht MusicFoundation.
Roma Boots distributes boots to children living in poverty.
Warby Parker donates funds and eyewear to nonprofits who distribute them tothose in need.
LemLem helps promote economic growth in Ethiopia.

Who doesn’t like to feel as good about their purchases as they do about wearing them? From fashion-forward Edun to playful Chooze shoes for kids, these brands are as covetable as they are committed to a cause — whether it’s combating poverty or supporting local musicians. We call that fashion with a perk.

Edun
The luxe line of men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, started by Ali Hewson and Bono (yes, that one), has an ongoing trading relationship with Africa. To help alleviate poverty, the company aims to produce 40 percent of its seasonal collection within the community by 2013. The laid-back rocker chic collection is well worth the investment. Available at Nordstrom NorthPark and edun.com.

Eye on the Sparrow Designs
We love the bracelets, earrings and necklaces that Abbie Chesney churns out of recyled donated guitar strings. Proceeds fund the Carter Albrecht Music Foundation, which supports the Dallas music community by helping local musicians move one step closer to their dreams. Rock on. Available at the Dallas Museum of Art gift shop, Talulah Belle and on the eyeonthesparrow.com.

Roma Boots
This Dallas-based business, founded by Samuel Bistrian, elevates the practical rain boot while helping those in need. The knit-lined classic hunter-style rubber boots come in fashion-savvy shades like glossy plum and matte gray. For every boot sold, subsidiary Roma Provisions distributes weatherproof boots to children living in poverty — predominantly in cold, wet climates like Romania. Warm your feet and your heart by supporting this good cause. Available at romaprovisions.com.

Warby Parker
Buy a pair of these vintage-inspired frames for just $95, and Warby Parker provides funding or glasses to nonprofit partners that distribute them to those in need. The online-only retailer offers a convenient Home Try-On Program, so you can test out five frames for five days free of charge before selecting a suitable pair of specs. Vibrant, fashionable frames that you not only look good in, but also feel good about? You can see why we like it.

LemLem
The women’s and children’s clothing company founded by supermodel and actress Liya Kebede preserves the ancient art of weaving while promoting economic growth. Made in Ethiopia, the hand-woven breezy boho cotton dresses, tops, skirts and scarves make great gifts as well as appealing additions to any wardrobe. Available at Cabana and online at lemlem.com.

Chooze Shoes
Artistic doodles grace these (purposely) mismatched children’s shoes designed by Dallas-based artist and founder Sharon Blumberg. Packaged in a recycled-cardboard art box and available in a variety of styles that both kids and moms adore, the environmentally friendly shoes give kids the freedom of expression as well as a do-good attitude. Chooze invests profits to programs that provide training, support, education and loans to women to help them out of extreme poverty. Available at Whole Earth Provision Company, Stride Rite and choozeshoes.com.

Like what you see? Then check out online retailer Juno & Jove for a well-edited selection of consciously crafted products and brands.

unspecified

Thrifty shopping

Massive Goodwill store in Garland reopens as 2nd largest in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Goodwill

The Goodwill in Garland is the largest in Texas.

A major expansion has made a Garland Goodwill store nearly the largest of its kind in the country. Goodwill Industries of Dallas officially reopened its "Broadway store," at 451 W. Interstate 30 #100, on April 30 after a major renovation. The new-and-improved store is twice its previous size.

According to a release, at 31,000 square feet, the Broadway Store and Donation Center is now the largest Goodwill in Texas and the second largest in the U.S.

The expansion will significantly boost inventory turnover. According to the organization, the store will introduce about 10,000 new items daily, including clothing, home goods, and accessories. At that pace, inventory cycles through the store roughly every four weeks, they say.

“Our newly expanded Garland store sets the gold standard for Goodwill in Texas — not only as our largest location, but as our most operationally complex,” says Tim Heis, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Dallas, in the release. “Turning out 10,000 fresh items every single day requires a tremendous, coordinated effort behind the scenes to make sure our shelves are always stocked with new finds."

The reopening comes amid "explosive growth" in the resale sector, Goodwill says. A 2024 report from ThredUp found that the U.S. secondhand market grew 11 percent in 2023 (growing seven times faster than the broader retail clothing sector) and is projected to reach $73 billion by 2028.

“As consumers are increasingly turning to resale for its affordability, unique product variety, and positive environmental impact, the new Garland store redefines what’s possible — every visit promises one of the widest, most frequently refreshed selections anywhere in North Texas,” says Joel Ibanez, vice president, Donated Goods Retail.

To support its larger retail footprint and meet demand, Goodwill Dallas has also expanded its donation network, they say, opening new Donation Express locations in Frisco, Plano, and Lantana in recent months and bringing the total number of donation drop off locations in North Texas to 52.

The Garland store includes a drive-up donation center, and additional sites are in development across North Texas, they say.

"Over the past two years, Goodwill Dallas has experienced record-breaking performance, earning recognition as the top performing Goodwill in the country for two consecutive years," they say in the release.

broadway store garland thrift store goodwill industries home goods shopping