From thrift stores, to eBay and estate sales everybody is always digging for ‘hidden treasures’ from years passed. High quality products at a reasonable price just isn’t something that you can find very easily or at all these days, so the resolution is to buy second-hand. Over the past few years, inflation and a growing push for sustainability have also contributed to a surge in the thrifting trend. Which, in theory, should work out great. People get more accessible clothes and the amount of waste should be reduced, right? While this is the outcome of an ideal world, in reality, there are some downsides harming the experience of buying second-hand. Among those is the impact of fast fashion, resellers and the overconsumption mindset. But if these things are working against you, can you find anything good at the thrift?
What you’re most likely to find when sorting through the racks at any Goodwill or Salvation Army is rows and rows of Shein and Forever 21. These garments are 100% polyester and were bought at maybe a $7 price tag, only to be worn maybe once or twice before they started falling apart and were then donated. The fast fashion epidemic has infected almost all spheres of the fashion and retail world. Even ignoring the environmental impact and the unsafe and forced working conditions that the industry is known for, the product just isn’t good. Clothing, even on the more expensive side, just isn’t made at the same quality as it was 20 years ago, so when it gets to the thrift, it’s sort of falling apart or on its way there. Buying cheaply made clothing at a higher price than it was bought at isn’t really an attractive offer.
Another issue is that even the items that are good quality or are vintage are often bought up by resellers and are sold again at a much higher price. Reselling on sites like Depop is its own beast, which doesn’t really compare to the typical charity shop experience. These products are curated and are sold at a high markup. This isn’t exactly meant to bash online sellers, I can admit that I spend a considerable amount of time scrolling on ebay windowshoping. The big problem is that all the quality products are nowhere to be found, making it difficult for people who actually need or will use these items to buy them.
These two problems are further compounded by social media and the TikTok, of it all. Online influencers and their “thrift hauls” showcase hundreds of dollars’ worth of clothes, all of which seem to be of a higher quality than most people can find. Contributing to the overconsumption problem and transforming something that started as a more environmentally friendly option into an overbuying issue. For example, remember the jewelry jars that were popular a few months back? After that, everyone was looking to buy their own. The problem was that after buying and looking through the jar, most people really only like half of the items, and people are stuck with a pile of jewelry that they don’t really like or wear. This isn’t unique to jewelry; in fact, this mentality can be applied to clothing, shoes and furniture as well.
So what do we do if it looks like there’s nothing good? The answer might not be as easy as you might want it to be. All you can really do is look harder. Let me explain. If you want my opinion on finding good things second-hand, then you need to be open to shopping both in person and online. Furthermore, you need to be prepared to search for hours or even days if you need to. Additionally, this is a big ask, but if possible, I would recommend learning how to sew or at least mend your clothes, as this will broaden your options for buying and altering them. Finally, don’t feel like you always need to buy something, be picky and be patient. While sometimes it may feel like these stores are empty or full of things that you’d never wear, just remember that all you need is a bit more effort to learn to shop the right way.