When the trend of thrifting emerged online in the recent decade, society was quick to believe that a solution had been found for consumerist fashion habits as consumers could repurpose gently worn clothing.
In the 2010s, the online market saw the rise of online shops like Shein and Fashion Nova. With the accessibility of trendy fashion sites, shoppers began to indulge in mass-purchasing styles to keep up with the latest trends.
Many teens found it hard to enjoy individualistic fashion due to the mass consumption of certain trends. “I used to enjoy shopping from online stores like Shein because of the trendy and unique apparel I saw through social media. After learning about what happens behind the scenes, I abandoned the store because I could not believe that was where I was purchasing clothes from,” said junior Nishita Gudipati.
Once these sites were exposed for their unethical environmental and labor practices, consumers began to shift away from these platforms. Thrifting appealed to teenagers who advocated for sustainability and wanted vintage styles. It even took the forefront of social media attention due to conservation sentiment.
The habit of thrifting allows consumers to find clothes that express their individuality while continuing the mission for sustainability. “I started thrifting because I wanted less modern clothing. I enjoy vintage fashion and styles which are easiest to find thrifting,” said junior Olivia Sheehan. “I like how you can find one-of-a-kind items and theoretically take away from fast fashion.”
Today, the thrifting market has expanded to a fashion industry of its own. The thrifting market itself has grown to a 33 billion dollar industry. After recognizing the demand for sustainability, the market began to realize that cultivating the aesthetic can increase demand. Less than 10% of vintage clothing is sold in stores and the other 90% is sent off to recycling facilities or the landfill.
Along with the mass export to waste facilities, unwanted clothing is shipped to Asian and African countries. Clothing exports may provide cheap goods for purchase, but they stunt the domestic market of that country. While these exports may prove to be quantitatively beneficial, they change the target country’s growth.
As reusable and sustainable fashion became the new trendy shopping habit, social media platforms capitalized on the trend. TikTok and Instagram displayed videos of clothing purchased by users for minimal value after hours of shopping. The alluring idea of low-priced, mass shopping replicated the initial frenzy that shoppers had towards Shein and Fashion Nova.
The popularity of thrifting also garnered attention from resellers. Resellers began to purchase clothing en masse from thrift stores for low value. Then, they would sell through sites such as Depop and inflate the price of the item they purchased. With consumers still seeking the vintage look, many turned to Depop to purchase these goods.
Teenagers who enjoy online shopping feel that thrifting has shifted towards the craze that sites like Shein and Fashion Nova were. “I feel like reselling has become another form of mass shopping from places like Shein. It’s hard to find nice, thrifted clothing because everyone is just mass purchasing clothes to resell at a higher price than it’s worth,” expressed Gudipati.
This impacted the value of items sold in thrift stores. As demand continued to rise, the prices of sold clothing increased. For low-income communities, this price change has stunted the accessibility of clothing that was meant to be affordable. The communities that thrifting was intended for now find the practice unaffordable.
While thrifting as a practice supports the idea of sustainable shopping, it is important to maintain a balance between trendy and sustainable. Moving towards a sustainable future will not be accomplished simply by thrifting. It will take consumers moving away from the alluring nature of frenzied fashion as a whole.
