Thrifting is fashion, not gentrification

Shopping for secondhand clothes has seen a renaissance in recent years. Whether it’s digging through Goodwill bins or shopping at vintage stores, secondhand shopping has been redefined as fashionable and unique. But with these innovative ways to fill a closet come many criticisms toward the thrifting world. Many claim that resellers are ruining the vintage clothing market and that shopping secondhand steals resources from the poor. However, mitigating fast fashion, helping the community and preserving vintage clothing will show that secondhand clothes are changing fashion for the better.

Today’s secondhand hotspots include thrift stores, online platforms and resellers hosting flea markets or offering vintage collections. Reselling has become a popular hobby or job for many, helping boost the economy. As more used clothing circulates, increased shopping helps divert clothes from the landfill, making thrifting a sustainable fashion choice.

This shift in public opinion has made thrifting more of a fashion statement. Shopping secondhand is cool now and is  no longer only viewed as a necessity. This is a switch from society’s past perception of thrifting, which often looked down on those who thrifted out of fiscal necessity. ThredUp, a popular online thrift store, predicts in its 2023 resale report that the global secondhand market will nearly double by 2027. Both concerning climate reports and online fashion trends have increased thrifting’s popularity, making it no longer just a necessity. 

As the wealthy embed thrifted clothes into their outfits, criticism toward thrifting increases as secondhand shopping becomes a nonessential habit. Since thrifting is a great resource for those who cannot always afford retail prices, wealthy thrifters face backlash. 

However, the notion that wealthy thrifters steal from the poor is inaccurate. Those who claim that thrifting is gentrified forget that much of the revenue is reinvested into the community. The Salvation Army states that donated goods help fund rehabilitation programs that heal addiction and aid families. Likewise, in 2010, 84% of Goodwill’s $4 billion reported revenue went directly to supporting community-based programs and services. The thrift stores with the cheapest clothes are the stores that wealthy shoppers are supposedly stealing from low-income families. However, these are the very stores specifically dedicated to investing in the community.

Not only do thrift outlets support the underprivileged, but they also help alleviate the aftermath of fast fashion and overconsumption. Roughly 5% of Goodwill donations are sent to landfills, proving there are still plenty of clothes to go around. Textile waste is often sent overseas, using the Global South as a landfill. While there are claims that thrifting takes away resources from shoppers who rely on thrifted clothes, there are still many clothes left on the racks.

In addition to reducing the amount of clothes sent to the landfill, secondhand consumption lessens the negative environmental impact from manufacturing. Fast fashion rapidly generates large volumes of poor-quality apparel to keep up with new fashion trends. 

Fast fashion retailers who are focused on profitability, such as H&M, Zara and Uniqlo, produce new lines of clothing every two to three weeks. Since it is more expensive to produce with recycled material, fast fashion opts for cheaper synthetic material that causes microplastic shedding. Low-quality, trend-based clothing does not last and quickly ends up in the dump. 

When a shopper buys secondhand, they are not directly supporting the demand for new things to be made, which inherently minimizes the fast fashion demand. Unlike the recent boom in the fast fashion industry, secondhand shopping does not compromise the environment.

Resellers, while they face backlash, play an important role in preserving vintage items. Resellers are criticized for making profits on thrifted clothing using sites such as Depop or Poshmark. Likewise, flea market vendors are judged for sourcing their vintage collections from thrift stores. Doing such helps secondhand clothing reach new audiences. Resellers curate collections of vintage clothes that would otherwise end up in landfills. Some shoppers are not willing to spend hours in thrift stores looking for specific brands or styles, so resellers take on the role of sourcing clothing for them. They put effort into sourcing and refurbishing old clothing, so shoppers rely on them as clothing outlets. Resellers appeal to both fashion-driven and eco-conscious shoppers.

Secondhand clothing has created a new avenue of creativity in the fashion industry. Rather than relying on fast-fashion retailers to manufacture the latest Y2K trend, thrifters can find actual brands from the early 2000s, such as Juicy Couture or DKNY. Vintage stores have aged clothes that can be loved by new owners who appreciate their uniqueness. Whether looking for a thick leather jacket or luxury brand shoes, vintage stores feature unique pieces. Shoppers can find satisfaction in finding one-of-a-kind pieces that steer from fast-fashion microtrends.

While there exists the myth that thrift shopping has been gentrified, secondhand shopping is a trend full of benefits. The world of secondhand shopping is both fashionable and sustainable. Society has redefined thrifting and changed the social stigma that thrifting is for those of a lower socioeconomic status. Shopping secondhand extends the longevity of existing clothing, and doing so begins the cycle of stylish and sustainable fashion.

Taryn Ogasawara is an Opinion Intern for the summer 2024 quarter. She can be reached at ogasawat@uci.edu.

Edited by Trista Lara, Jaheem Conley and Jacob Ramos.

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