A few weeks ago, I was browsing the aisles of Goodwill and came across a shirt that looked cute on the rack.
I pulled it out and got a good look at it; it was a white, long-sleeved button-down with small black patterns (a combination of dots and drops). The design was simple, which I appreciated, but it felt so soft!
I looked at the label, “BeachLunchLounge” — I’d never heard of it. I did a quick Google search on my phone and saw they’re an eco-friendly clothing brand! SOLD.
I put the shirt in my cart and noticed a similar one on the same rack. I grabbed it, another long-sleeve button-down, again, super soft. Tossed it in my cart.
I buy all of my clothes second-hand (except for socks and underwear), and one thing that’s worked for me is keeping a running list of items I’m looking for on my phone, so whenever I’m at the store, I don’t forget to look for them.
Sometimes the list has trendy items (I’m currently on the hunt for a leather bomber jacket) and sometimes it’s staples like plain white or black shirts.
I’m always looking for great button-downs; they’re perfect for any season and can really make you look polished, even when you don’t feel like it.
Now that I’ve actually worn these shirts several times, I wanted to share my thoughts on them, but also share more about the brand in case you’re looking for ways to avoid fast fashion (I always am!).
Learning About the Brand: BeachLunchLounge
Even while thrifting, I want to buy from brands I’m proud to wear, and I also want to buy good fabrics that are nontoxic and breathable.
BeachLunchLounge intentionally prioritizes responsibly-sourced materials, including:
EcoVero by Lenzing: This silky fabric is crafted from certified, controlled wood sources and produced with significantly lower fossil energy use and water consumption than generic viscose.
Lyocell: This is made from renewable wood-pulp cellulose and processed using a low-emission, closed-loop process (meaning 99% of its chemicals and water are recycled instead of being released into the environment), and it’s biodegradable!
Organic cotton: Organic cotton ticks a number of sustainability boxes (it’s grown from organic, non-genetically modified seeds and cultivated without harmful chemicals or synthetic fertilizers). It’s also less polluting and requires significantly less water than conventional cotton, which is good news for the land upon which it is grown and the people who wear it.
BCI cotton: The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is a non-profit that educates farmers on how to reduce water and chemical use, care for the soil and protect natural habitats, while promoting decent working conditions. BCI cotton is better for the people who produce it, better for the environment where it grows, and better for the cotton industry’s future.
Linen: Originating from renewable flax plant fibers, linen is naturally biodegradable and recyclable. Its manufacturing process is also low-impact, requiring little water and energy, and the entire flax plant is used to create the fabric, minimizing production waste.
One of the shirts I got is made from lyocell, and the other is made of viscose, which is made from processed plant cellulose. It’s silky-soft and breathable like cotton, but it’s not considered eco-friendly like the fabrics listed above.
To be fair, I didn’t see any items currently on their site that included viscose, so this might be old.
Buying Second-Hand is Doubly Good
I’ve been thrifting for clothes for years, and it has truly served me in so many ways.
Not only do I get quality pieces for less money, but I also feel good knowing that I’m keeping items out of the landfill and conserving the energy and water it takes to create new ones (not to mention the often unethical practices in fashion factories).
I shop a lot at ThredUp, and they have stats for each item on their site, so you can see the good you’re doing. For example, it says this when you click on a pair of jeans:
Buying jeans secondhand and wearing them 10 times saves the equivalent of 637.48 glasses of drinking water, 142.2
hours of an LED lightbulb, and 0.66 miles of driving emissions.
You can see the current stock of BeachLunchLounge items at ThredUp here.
How I style BeachLunchLounge
Both of the items I purchased are long-sleeve button-downs, and they feel lived-in! Of course, since they are second-hand, I’m not sure how often they were worn, but the brand promises that lived-in feeling.
One of the tops is blue-and-white striped, while the other is white with black designs. I like wearing them both with denim, but the white-and-blue one looks nautical (which I love), and I’ve worn it with various shades of blue denim. I wear it unbuttoned with a tank underneath or buttoned and partially tucked in.
I love wearing the white-and-black shirt with black skinny jeans and my red ballet flats from Rothy’s (another eco-friendly brand I love)!
Would I buy BeachLunchLounge new? I would if I saw something I really felt I had to have!
But I’ve gotten so used to waiting to make purchases until I can find them at Goodwill, ThredUp, or a local thrift shop. There’s something really thrilling about digging through the racks and finding what you’ve been looking for, all while saving money and doing right by our planet.
I’m so glad I found this brand, and I’m looking forward to finding and wearing other pieces from them.
Have you ever discovered a brand you loved via thrifting?
This review is not sponsored — nor are any of the reviews on this blog. I am a beauty and skincare junkie and enjoy sharing the products I love right here! For more reviews and similar posts, please subscribe to the blog by clicking subscribe on the right side of your screen. Cheers!
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