Recently there has been a noticeable surge in awareness in regards to the benefits of recycled and sustainable fashion, and a definite push in favour for it. However, there seems to be a lack of literature bringing light to the potential harms caused as a consequence of thrift shopping. With that being said, I do love thrifting - It is often with pride and a hint of superiority that I admit to others that I copped the cute button up I'm wearing from a thrift store. After a stroll down King Street a couple weeks ago, I realised that the environmental advantages of thrift shopping needs to be contextualised with its socioeconomic repercussions. The act of thrift shopping needs to be seen in a more multifaceted manner.
A decade or so ago, second-hand stores were perceived as ratty and dirty and were looked down upon because of their heavy association with the poor and working-class. Over the recent years, thrifting has trickled into mainstream culture, made popular and deemed to be cool by the middle-class 'art school aesthetic' obsessed and fashion bloggers. It is certainly a great thing that this stigma is no longer as prevalent. Though thrifting is beneficial in that it reduces waste, combats fast fashion, and reduces our investment in exploitative and multinational corporations, I've come to suspect through my many hours of research (scrolling through my Instagram feed) that environmental factors are not the reason that so many middle-class youth have turned to thrifting. This was not hard to conclude following the masses of posts sporting discount codes sponsored by brands like Fashion Nova and Boohoo. By thrifting to dress 'poor' in their baggy distressed Levis, vintage bleached Iron Maiden tees cut grunge-ily into crop tops, and battered Birkenstocks, affluent influencers and their well-off audiences are failing to confront their own socioeconomic privilege.
It seems contradictory and nonsensical that a thrift store would raise the prices on clothing donated to benefit those in need. Nevertheless, the prices at thrift stores, particularly those situated in inner-city suburbs have been hiked up, and the prices of items are appealing only to those who can already afford the real deal. Furthermore, I've noticed a trend of consignment stores marketing themselves up as fancy, boutique, 'vintage' shops stocked with second hand high-end and expensive branded clothing and accessories. Unfortunately this is not where it ends - Well-off buyers have been scouring thrift stores for fashionable items or expensive brands to sell on online platforms such as Depop for $30 higher than the Salvos figure.
Whilst discounted items and great bargains are celebrated as small gratifying victories for the well off, they are essential for economically underprivileged communities. Be mindful that affluent groups may be taking valuable resources away from communities who are reliant on these means to survive. It needs to be recognised that those who thrift regularly despite being 'comfortable' with their socioeconomic standing, are taking advantage of something which was not created to benefit them.
This issue is complex and multifaceted, and unfortunately I don't have solutions which will simultaneously promote sustainable fashion, provide affordable clothing for working class communities, while ensuring that affluent communities will use their economic standing and purchasing power to diverge from large exploitative corporations and instead support local businesses. I am in no way jumping to the black and white conclusion that thrifting is bad and you should stop if you can afford to. But it is quite important to be aware of the impact of your choices and to acknowledge your privileges.
x Jen
