This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at York U chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

If you were to ask someone 15 years ago if they shop at the thrift store, the answer would likely be no. There was once a time where thrift shopping carried a stigma around it, but in the last 10 years thrifting has continued to increase in popularity. Thrift shopping has increased traction for several reasons including cultural, economic and environmental.

Gen Z is different from other generations as we grew up on social media so of course we follow trends we see online, if you were to scroll on TikTok you’re likely to come across a thrift haul, an OOTD involving thrifted clothes, or even an influencer recreating an outfit from a 90s T.V. show. Our generation, through social media, is exposed to so many fashion trends through social media, so naturally shopping at the thrift store is an accessible way to be on trend without spending your entire life savings.

Since there are so many trends that circulate on the internet we have also since a rise in fast fashion. Microtrends will circulate on the internet, then brands will produce really cheap looking and feeling clothing pieces which inevitably get thrown out as soon as the trend dies and the next trend comes. This is why a lot of people gravitate to thrifting as many don’t want to contribute to the effects fast fashion has on the planet.

Thrifting As Therapy

If you’ve ever been thrifting you know the best feeling is that dopamine hit from a good find for an amazing price. Thrifting is like a treasure hunt, some days are more successful than others. I’ve learned people will donate anything, even if it’s valuable. What’s that saying? What one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Sometimes you’re that lucky person who finds a designer bag mistakenly tagged at $10.99 or a beautiful intricately detailed handmade sweater or even a vintage 100% silk dress or maybe a rare vintage jacket. For some, the hunt is the best part, thrifting can almost be like a hobby or a challenge on the next best thing you can find.

Resellers

Some people thrift to find pieces for their own wardrobe, and there’s the other side…resellers. Being a reseller is very controversial in the thrift community, avid thrifts are upset some resellers find all the “good stuff” for cheap and then resell online on apps such as Depop or Poshmark for a lot of money. There’s both good and bad things about reseller apps. As cost of living continues to increase, a lot of these resellers consider reselling their full time job, which is good for those who don’t want to work a traditional job. Reselling apps also give the opportunity for these clothing pieces to find a new home, because the reality is a lot of these clothes would otherwise end up in a landfill. Reselling also allows you to find virtually any type of specific clothing piece you’re looking for, especially if you don’t have the time or energy to thrift it yourself.

Thrift store — Photo by Nilay Sozbir from Unsplash

Thrifting is great for many reasons, down below I’ve listed some places to check out next time your shopping

Second-Hand Clothing Store Recommendations in Toronto:

Thrift Stores:

Salvation Army
Global Thrift
Wildlife Thrift Store
National Thrift

Consignement (Buy and Sell):

Common Sort
Plato’s Closet

Vintage:

Black Market Vintage (347 Queen St. W 2nd Floor and 256 Queen St. W Downstairs)
Public Butter (250 Augusta Ave and 1290 Queen St. W)
Vintage Depot (70 Kensington Avenue)
Exile Vintage (60 Kensington Avenue)
Boho Chachkies (78 Nassau St)

The Rise of Thrifting Culture & Second-Hand Shopping Recommendations in Toronto