Keywords
Migration
Social inclusion
Consumption
Resource conservation
How to Cite
Abstract
The paper examines the performance of the SCRI Friperie, a thrift store, during the period January-July 2025, exploring how a second-hand retail operation can function as a circular economy model with measurable community impact. Managed by an organization that serves refugees and immigrants in Montreal, the Friperie seeks to align financial sustainability with its social mission. Drawing on a quantitative analysis of sales data and environmental impact projections, the study assesses the key drivers of business performance and proposes strategies to strengthen long-term viability. The findings indicate that external factors, such as promotions, seasonality, inventory availability, and volunteer capacity, account for approximately 41.7 % of sales variability (R² = 0.417). Over the period analyzed, the Friperie is estimated to have avoided up to 32,424 kg of CO₂ emissions by offering a more sustainable alternative to fast fashion. The article concludes that thrift stores operating in migration contexts can advance environmental sustainability while reinforcing social cohesion by providing affordable options and promoting responsible consumption values.
References
Adger, W. N., Fransen, S., Safra de Campos, R. y Clark, W. C. (2024). Migration and sustainable development. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(3), e2206193121. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2206193121
Andersson, J., François-Ferrière, M. y Hoskova, K. (2023, 14 de diciembre). Circular Solutions, Community Revolutions: The Social Impact of Circularity. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/12/circular-solutions-community-revolutions-the-social-impact-of-circularity/
Dantas, T. E. T., de-Souza, E. D., Destro, I. R., Hammes, G., Rodriguez, C. M. T. y Soares, S. R. (2021). How the combination of Circular Economy and Industry 4.0 can contribute towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 26, 213-227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2020.10.005
David Suzuki Foundation. (s. f.). The environmental costs of fast fashion. https://davidsuzuki.org/living- green/the-environmental-cost-of-fast-fashion/
de Ferrer, M. (2021, 8 de agosto). How are Shein hauls making our planet unlivable? euronews. https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/10/17/how-are-shein-hauls-making-our-planet-unlivable
Fransen, S., Adger, N., Safra de Campos, R. y Clark, W. C. (2024, 18 de enero). Migrants can be a transformative force for sustainable development. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/migrants-can-be-a-transformative- force-for-sustainable-development-221281
Future. (2023, 9 de septiembre). Carbon Footprint and Price Comparison: Secondhand vs. New Clothing. https://www.futurecard.co/futureblog/carbon-footprint-and-price-comparison-secondhand-vs-new-clothing
Garcia-Saravia Ortiz-de-Montellano, C., Samani, P. y van der Meer, Y. (2023). How can the circular economy support the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? A comprehensive analysis. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 40, 352–362. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.07.003
Government of Canada. (2022, February 9). Census in Brief. Canada’s fastest growing and decreasing municipalities from 2016 to 2021. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/as-sa/98-200-x/2021001/98-200-x2021001-eng.cfm
Hirschlag, A. (2024, 7 de noviembre). Can Secondhand Shopping Dent Fast Fashion's Environmental Damage? Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-secondhand-shopping-dent-fast-fashions-environmental-damage/
Howland, D. (2023, 19 de abril). How good is secondhand apparel for the planet, really? Retail Dive. https://www.retaildive.com/news/secondhand-clothes-sustainable-environmental-impact-resale/647428/
Kirchherr, J., Piscicelli, L., Bour, R., Kostense-Smit, E., Muller, J., Huibrechtse-Truijens, A. y Hekkert, M. (2018). Barriers to the Circular Economy: Evidence From the European Union (EU). Ecological Economics, 150, 264-272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.04.028
Maiti, R. (2026, 3 de febrero). The Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion, Explained. Earth.org. https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/
Nolan, S. (2025, February 6). SHEIN's Scope 3 Emissions: Fast Fashion's Carbon Burden. Scope 3 Magazine. https://scope3magazine.com/scope-1-2-and-3/fast-fashion-esg-ghg-emissions-is-shein-greenwashing
Rajvanshi, A. (2023, 17 de enero). Shein Is the World’s Most Popular Fashion Brand—at a Huge Cost to Us All. TIME. https://time.com/6247732/shein-climate-change-labor-fashion/
Sandin, G. y Peters, G. M. (2018, 20 de mayo). Environmental impact of textile reuse and recycling – A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 184, 353–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.266
Souza Piao, R., de Vincenzi, T. B., da Silva, A. L. F., de Oliveira, M. C. C., Vazquez-Brust, D. y Monteiro Carvalho, M. (2023). How is the circular economy embracing social inclusion? Journal of Cleaner Production, 411, 137340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137340
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Santiago Ernesto Palacios, Ernesto Alonso Pacheco Cruz