Depop, vintage brands, charity shops; they are all full of unique, sometimes questionable, bargains, occasionally better than what you could have found at Primark anyway. However, thrifting is no new phenomenon. It’s not the latest trend, but by viewing it as such we are seriously harming the people it was meant to serve.
In the next three years, the second-hand apparel market is expected to double from $24 billion to $51 billion in the US, and in the UK in 2019, sales rose by 17.6% in value. Less clothing going to landfill, and more money going to charity… this is good, right? Yes and no. Thrift shops are noticing the increase in sales and are raising their prices accordingly. Although the price of a shirt rising from £4 to £7 may not mean a lot to someone who is thrifting out of choice, lower-income families will turn to fast fashion retailers, as they become the cheaper option.
So, by boycotting fast fashion, you could essentially be forcing someone else to support it.
Bet I’ve got you mad now, huh? “Where am I supposed to buy clothes if I can’t buy from fast fashion shops OR thrift shops?!”. Well, we must realise the common ally to fast fashion and the gentrification of thrift shops is overconsumption. If you go thrifting for the mere purpose of a shopping spree, that’s part of the issue - unless you need it, put that £5 skirt back on the rail. It’s tempting to buy clothes that you would never buy full price just because it’s a bargain, but this promotes a disposable mindset towards our clothes, as we don’t feel the need to wear them more than a few times.
All in all, these businesses need our support, but don’t use this as an excuse for overconsumption and only buy what you need.
Written by Sophie Farrar
Artwork by Zara Masood
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