“We buy stuff we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t like!”
Have a think about that quote for a moment… How true is it?
Now ask yourself about your consumption habits and the effects they might have on those around you. I’m not preaching, far from it. This quote was sent to me the other day when I was researching for this article and it really took me back.
Last week, I wrote about the boutique and consignment section at the Roundabout Store. Many of the wonderful people who spoke to me for that article cited sustainability and reasonable shopping as a reason for shopping at the store. We grown-ups can make conscious decisions about our shopping habits, but what about our little ones?
Luckily, Roundabout has you covered on this front. It has an amazing kid’s section – an Aladdin’s cave of treasures featuring everything from fancy dress to cribs to toys.
Over the past 11 years, according to Roundabout charity sale department director Lily Li, the charity has been using donation and compassion as a way to care for the world. What better way is there to care for the world than by setting a good example to the next generation?
Parents and teachers are on the front line of helping children define their moral and social compasses. Lorraine McMullen is both. A teacher at the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) she also coordinates the school’s global citizenship and service course, connecting students with local community initiatives, such as Roundabout. The charity, she said, has not only inspired many of her students but also herself.
“In the early years, I was motivated by the charity and service aspect of [Roundabout]… with my growing focus on sustainability, and since becoming a mother, I am now a more regular customer,” she said adding that her son has been the happy recipient of rattles, Lego, building blocks, a bobby car, and even a potty seat!
I am sure it is no coincidence that Roundabout’s logo, a heart surrounded by arrows, is similar to the universally-recognized symbol for recycling. This “circle of use” of items bought from Roundabout is a major draw for parents.
“Rattle toys I bought my son secondhand maintained his interest for a couple of months; I [then]re-donated them to Roundabout. This means that, as a minimum, three different families have already used these rattlers!” McMullen said, adding that if other buyers have the same attitude, then those toys could be passed on every few months for years to come.
Welcoming a new addition to the world is expensive at the best of times, but when you have a child away from your home country, you are also having it away from the usual support network of friends and family that often pass on hardly-used items. So, the infant section at Roundabout will be welcome news to expectant parents.
“The baby stuff is amazing,” said Jess Meider, a professional jazz vocalist and co-owner of The Green Room Skincare. “They’ve got everything you need – car seats, strollers, cribs, sterilizers, linens – my friend just had a baby, and he and his wife were able to get everything they needed for their little bubs.”
Meider also shops at the vintage and consignment section, but her best purchase came from the kids section.
“It was a beautiful white long dress for my eldest that we gave as a present when my second daughter was born,” Meider said.
As families grow, so do the expenses! Meider’s eldest daughter, Evie, attends Hyde Academy and just like her fellow classmates she is at an age when she grows out of clothes quickly. Meider said that Roundabout offers her an affordable way to keep up with the growth spurts.
“She wears her clothes thoroughly as she plays outside a lot, so this way of buying helps my wallet and keeps her in decent clothes.”
Children are like sponges. There is nothing more beautiful than watching them discover something for the first time. Secondhand items offer so much more than just something to play with or wear – they can also be incorporated into activities and given a twofold second chance at giving joy.
“Recycling and upcycling are two engaging and interesting activities for young children,” said Margaret O’Brien, principle of Eton Kids. “They have little preconceived notions about quality, name brands or labels so upcycling old toys, furniture and classroom items is a fun craft for them. By the time they are older and realize the importance of these activities the skill is already developing so the earlier these types of experiences are introduced the better,” she said.
When you donate or buy from Roundabout you are contributing to an organization that makes sure 100 percent of the profits go to those around us who are in need. But the benefits don’t end there — the items are a fraction of the cost of buying new; and used products require no new resources or energy, so the planet wins too.
The quote at the start of the article was sent to me by McMullen, who offered a great reason to be conscientious about new purchases: “Spend your money on creating family memories rather than constantly purchasing expensive household items,“ she said.
Perhaps we can all take a leaf out of her book and spend less but make more time.
Either call or go to www.roundaboutchina.com to register a donation and drop off point or to arrange a collection.
Roundabout Store & Community Centre
Daily 9am – 6pm, Cathay View Plaza, No.2 Xiangjiang Bei Lu, Chaoyang District, 137 1827 4154
Photos: Nancy Jenkinson Brown
