Thrifting Culture

By Kashika Malhotra

With the increased awareness of the environmental and ethical repercussions of the fast fashion industry over the past few years, thrifting has suddenly become immensely popular. This market is dominated by younger generations who have completely transformed the way it's now perceived. Thrifting is now associated with vintage, authentic, and the one-of-a-kind rather than lower socioeconomic classes. This change in mindset has led to 45 percent growth of second-hand clothing items purchased in the past two years, making its resale grow 21 times faster than the apparel retail market. 

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In the past five years, the number of shoppers who prefer to buy from environmentally friendly brands has increased from 57 to 72 percent. People are now, more than ever, aware of what they're wearing, not just in aesthetics, but of the brand values, morals and ethics of their clothes. It seems resale culture is now the future as the demand for ethical and sustainable options continues to grow.

Ashley of bestdressed on YouTube has one of the fastest-growing channels in fashion and lifestyle content on YouTube with over three million subscribers. This year, she attended New York Fashion Week in almost entirely thrifted outfits. In her vlog of the week’s events she explained: 'It’s the most unique stuff in my wardrobe, and I also just really wanted somebody to ask who I was wearing and I could tell them I got it for like five dollars at a Goodwill.' Many other social media influencers have been seen to have a passion for vintage clothing, often starting their own online stores through apps like Depop, or even on their own websites or Instagram pages. Whether it be selling their own used clothes, or shopping secondhand for the sake of selling online, many young people have taken up this trendy new entrepreneurial enterprise. E-commerce has given a second life to thrifting, connecting buyers and sellers all over the world. Vintage fashion marketplace Depop’s user base has grown from 8 million to 12 million just in the past year. 

The most astonishing development has been in the sneaker resale industry. A recent study has shown that resale sneaker sales now account for more than $2 billion in annual sales. By 2025, sales could reach $6 billion in the resale market. There is strong demand for athletic shoes like Nike’s Air Jordan 1, Adidas’ Yeezy Boost, Balenciaga’s Triple S and Fendi’s Multicolor. Compared to many of the other resale fashion categories, sneakers surprisingly often sell for much higher than their original already high prices. For instance, Yeezy Boosts that originally cost $300 resold for $1,239. According to Sourcing Journal, a pair of black Air Jordan Art Basel sneakers produced in a very small quantity (only 23 pairs) resold for $4,000 last year.

With the durable and timeless characteristics of luxury goods, brands like Gucci and Chanel are expected to be a part of this market as well. With websites, social media pages, brick-and-mortar stores, the trend of thrifting continuously appears to be growing. Timeless vintage pieces that help save the environment, and that is something I can definitely get on board with!