I believe that vintage is the way of the future. Yes, buying sustainably is great. However, you are still providing new items to end up in garbage dumps. Purchasing used items brings them a second life, saving them a trip to a garbage dump. It is a fact that some vintage items are of higher quality, and some vintage items can be seen as a thing of art. However, if you’re like me, it’s kind of hard to know what is a winning vintage score at a thrift store and what is pure trash, and if you’re like the rest of the world, you might not have the ability to thrift every day to find some fantastic high-quality items. Some artists use those great qualities, repurposing them into something better and more sustainable. They remove the problem of having to thrift for an excellent vintage piece but repurpose it as a great talking point for your home or as a gift. Here is a list of some of the repurposed vintage pieces I found terrific on Etsy.
There is an account called LampsByBrennaShop that rescues discarded fire extinguishers and makes them into lamps. These fire extinguishers are vintage with intricate lettering that looks like artisan welders molded them. The lettering is a beautiful gold detail standing out on a red background. Despite being vintage, the item looks new, and despite being around $400, it seems cheap for the quality of the item. I personally don’t know how to make a lamp, and to make one from a repurposed fire extinguisher seems like it should be worth more. Even though it doesn’t come with a lampshade, I think this would be a talking point in whatever room you put it in. It is subtle enough to match with the rest of someone’s decor, but it is a little out there to the point people might ask if that was a fire extinguisher.
Even though it was popular a couple of years ago, I find the repurposed teacup candles from FoxandHoundShoppe adorable. Teacups, especially bone china tea cups, are everyday items in thrift stores. There is so much in thrift stores, so selling one as a candle is a unique kind of gift. Having something that can be repurposed into a valuable thing that gets saved from being thrown away at a thrift store is not only a fabulous gift but also something that would get interest from anyone who sees it. The reviews for these teacup candles are high, with people saying the smell is lovely and the candle is well made. Once the candle is finished, you can keep the tea cup and/or put the tea cup into a planter. Knowing that this product is something sustainable, you would make and/or gift something that is bringing new life to it. This is a great product, vintage and utterly unique.
Seller Lahaine recreates boxes out of vintage license plates, and I just think it’s such a simple thing to have and store in your home. They aren’t big boxes, but they are something useful for trinkets. Having something like these would be great on the mantle place of your home or the entranceway. They can hold things like marbles, potpourri, matchbooks, etc. Anything small and colorful would be unique to display in this license box. This is a great item to have as a gift box for that special someone since it is so unique and would be eye-catching for someone receiving your gift. It is being sold for $20, an excellent price for something I have never seen before and something I am clueless about recreating.
PoseyPoper is an Etsy seller that perfects vintage repurposing for your home and gift giving. They sell vintage trinkets that look amazing in a clear vase or Lahaine’s license plate box. The items are very random but beautifully curated to be clear vintage repurposing. They also sell vintage books, which are great for gift giving.
Getting something vintage is excellent when it comes to the home and gift-giving. These items are not being made currently, so you have the benefit of having or gifting a one-of-a-kind item. These things are sustainable, save them from being thrown away, and make your home look more lived in. If it is hard to find these items at a thrift store, finding items like this on Etsy is easy and beneficial. Also, Etsy offers more opportunities for smaller businesses, which makes your dollar worth way more than wasting it at a place like Amazon. With these vintage items, you will have a great home or gift to give someone.
