Fast fashion is one of the most environmentally harmful yet the most easily accessible forms of clothing out on the market right now. Fast fashion, a way of quickly creating and selling clothing made out of cheap bad quality materials, specifically is responsible for at least 10 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, which is just as much as the entirety of the European Union (EU) emits, according to the U.N. Environmental Programme. In recent years, people have been in the search for more sustainable ways of buying clothes, which has caused a boom in thrifting.
The secondhand shopping market in the U.S. is a booming industry. The U.S. census bureau conducted a report in 2023, explaining that the U.S. secondhand market is expected to double by 2026, reaching up to $82 billion in value. Thrifting is only exemplified by this, as people are frequenting thrift stores more and more in recent years, in the search for more affordable and sustainable fashion. With inflation raising prices across all different commercial goods, clothing is majorly affected. The average price of a sweater nowadays, even one made out of cheap materials, is around $50-$60. This is only attainable for few people, so they want to turn to a cheaper alternative that gives them just as good, if not better materials and quality.
The influx of online resale and curated shops have also made the industry even stronger. Online marketplaces such as Depop, Vinted and Mercari have exploded in popularity over the last decade, making it easier than ever to buy resale clothing. With this newfound accessibility, people are even more inclined to buy pieces. A statistic gathered from the U.S. census bureau states that 62 percent of Gen Z and millennial shoppers search for clothing secondhand before buying new, which is a great increase. People have been reclaiming thrift stores, getting rid of the previous negative stigma associated with them.
Some people claim that thrifting isn’t as accessible to some people, as it’s harder to find exactly what you’re looking for without searching or having to compromise for something similar. If you’re going into a resale shop and searching for a specific item or brand, it may be hard to find exactly what you’re looking for, which is why many people prefer traditional retail shopping. This is where curated shops, or online resale comes in. It’s so easy to search up a specific item online and be able to find it new, unused, but resold through these various online stores or sellers. Curated vintage shops also come into play here, as they offer shoppers the opportunity to find even more special and unique items that would otherwise never be available through traditional retail stores.
Many people complain about the quality of their clothing nowadays, too, which is why it’s so beneficial for old clothing to become repurposed. It’s a fact that the materials and quality of garments have gotten worse over time, as clothing used to be made thoughtfully instead of just being created for consumer gratification. Thrifting has become so mainstream in recent years, and while some people complain about the mass amounts of people picking up the hobby, others appreciate how it’s finally being recognized.
