Is Thrifting Ethical?
Thrifting & Ethical Shopping
Thrifting is one of my favorite activities to do with my friends. Going to Salvation Army or small businesses selling unique, cheap items is the hallmark of a college girl’s experience, in my opinion. When you don’t have all the money in the world in college, and you really need some new clothes in your closet, thrift stores are an easy place to go. Not only that, but buying reused items helps cut down on the immense fashion waste that’s created every day.
It’s not just me. Across Gen Z, thrifting is also very popular. 83% of Gen Z Americans are currently interested in thrifting, and Gen Z will comprise 28% of the consignment market by 2027. Thrifting has become a way to express creativity and bring in your own inspiration into fashion. And clearly, this trend is not slowing down any time soon.
The History of Thrifting
The practice of thrifting is now very much so mainstream. In fact, the thrifting and resale markets are expected to rise to $80B by 2029, almost doubling the fast fashion market growth in 2029. Prior to it becoming mainstream, however, thrifting was looked down upon, in a rather classist lens. Thrift stores and consignment shops first emerged in the early 1900s, associated with a stigma surrounding anti-semitism as well as the notion that wearing thrifted clothing was only for poorer communities.
During the Great Depression and post-World War II, shops like Goodwill and the Salvation Army thrived with a new influx of customers who couldn’t afford new clothing. Wealthier communities in the 1950s also desired the thrill of finding vintage clothing. And from there, the stigma associated with thrifting waned, and it became a common activity done with friends, family, and solo - a treasure hunt that continued into the present day. Today, the thrifting industry is worth over $14B, and online thrifting shops have formed as a way to increase accessibility to these unique finds.
The Benefits of Thrifting
Aside from curating a one-of-a-kind unique wardrobe that you can express yourself creatively with, thrifting has a myriad of benefits that do bring good into the world. Unlike larger retail chains like Zara or Wal-Mart, smaller thrift stores exist for a social purpose of serving their communities. By shopping from them, you are giving them funds to work with. Thrift stores also majorly help reduce waste. More than 400 gallons of water are used to create just one t-shirt. By buying used items, we can help cut down this waste.
Thrift shops have something for everyone, with a large variety of brands that are helpful in providing new, eco-friendly products that you can’t find anywhere else. With less packaging, and contributing to local people in your community, thrifting allows us to have a larger eco-friendly economical contribution.
What’s Wrong with Thrifting?
Many items at thrift stores (different from vintage stores) are donated, and meant for people who really need them to budget effectively. Some of us have the funds to invest in buying sustainable items that cost more, and some of us are in the middle. Thrifting can take away items that are meant for lower class individuals who can’t afford more sustainable items and don’t have other options.
The topic of “thrift store gentrification” has also more recently been brought to the forefront of discussion these days. Sara Watson, Assistant Editor at Popular Science states that the increase in people shopping at thrift stores has resulted in “many thrift stores raising their prices, [which] exacerbat[es] income inequality, and effectively marginaliz[es] the population that depends on thrifting clothing the most” As demand for these stores have risen, stores have learned how to make more profit by simply raising their prices, taking away further resources from local communities.
Furthermore, saving the planet requires systemic-level change, not just individual thrifting. The environmental benefits of thrifting are undeniable, but impact needs to also come in tandem with policies in businesses, which is just not happening. If one really wants to save the environment, wouldn’t it be more impactful to invest in an organization that is truly eco-friendly without taking away resources that are meant for others?
The Bottom Line
Thrifting most definitely has a large positive impact on our environment, and it doesn’t hurt to support local businesses. However, as thrifting continues to rise in popularity, thrift store gentrification and resource depletion become important issues to consider.
So, is thrifting really ethical? Like a lot of ethics issues, we don’t have a definitive answer. There are unethical aspects of it, but also positive aspects of the practice. The bottom line is that it’s really up to you as a consumer to decide where your resources are best spent right now, and it’s up to all of us to motivate and hope that companies decide that the environment and their people matter to them and enact changes for the better.