Alderman Van Zandbergen on tour of Fairtrade clothing stores

Twahânsklean in the leading role

At the Estafette thrift store in Burgum, employees emphasize that every week is Fairtrade Week. With an attractive store presentation, they make second-hand clothing a first choice. And with results: in 2024, the store sold almost 5,000 kilos of textiles, saving 26 tons of CO₂. Estafette encourages residents to donate consciously. Only clean, undamaged, and neat clothing is suitable for reuse. "If in doubt, ask yourself: would I buy this myself? Yes? Bring it to Estafette. No? Then use the textile container," is the advice.

Sustainability in the shopping street

At the HEMA store, the alderman spoke with an employee about how the store integrates sustainability, Fairtrade, and circularity into its policy. Beerde Mode also showed that sustainability plays an important role. Although not all brands carry the Fairtrade label, they do invest in fair and environmentally friendly production. "Delve into the brand you are buying," was the message.

In the third store, Petit Paris, the alderman discovered vintage clothing from Paris. Vintage contributes to sustainability in two ways: it prevents new production and often offers high-quality clothing that lasts longer. The clothing tour ends at Aline Fashion, where customers are increasingly consciously choosing Fairtrade clothing. The store won the national Storytelling Award in 2015 and 2019 for its sustainable choices. "We notice that people are really looking for responsible products," says an employee.

Alderman Van Zandbergen concluded her visit by handing out laundry bags with soap nuts. "Choosing Fairtrade and sustainable clothing also means choosing responsible washing."

Fairtrade in Tytsjerksteradiel

Tytsjerksteradiel is a Fairtrade Municipality and promotes fair trade, sustainability and conscious consumption. The clothing tour shows that many local entrepreneurs are committed to a fair and green future.