Recently, Atlanta teens have started thrifting for clothes more than ever, and for good reason. Buying clothes secondhand instead of from fast-fashion brands is more sustainable for the environment, cheaper, and can even be profitable.
Here are five reasons teens should visit their local thrift store.
Thrifting is sustainable for the environment.
According to Greenpeace, 85% of all textiles globally end up in landfills each year, and the average garment is thrown away after ten wears or less. Shopping at thrift stores can help reduce this waste. Buying clothes secondhand both extends the lifespan of an existing article of clothing and decreases the need for new clothing.
Online shopping and influencer culture have glamorized fast fashion and constant consumption of microtrends. The emergence of ultra-fast fashion brands, such as Shein and H&M, has fostered the belief that clothes are disposable and has led to a demand for a constant flow of cheap, trendy clothes.
Shopping for clothes secondhand lowers your carbon footprint by reducing the resources that would otherwise be used to make a new piece of clothing.
According to the World Resources Institute, it takes 2,700 liters of water to produce enough cotton for a single cotton t-shirt. Shopping secondhand keeps a thrifted piece of clothing out of a landfill, gives it a second life, and decreases the demand for fast fashion.
Thrifting often supports charities and worthy causes.
The good karma you get from thrifting does not stop at reducing your environmental impact — it can also impact your local community as well.
Most local thrift stores are non-profit, charity-driven organizations. For example, Out of the Closet Thrift Store uses $0.96 of every dollar raised to support HIV care and services. Goodwill directs the majority of its funds toward providing job opportunities to those who need them. Second Life Upscale Thrift in Atlanta uses the proceeds it earns from selling donated items to benefit animal rescues and spay/neuter programs. Although most thrift stores are non-profit, some chains, such as Savers or Value Village, are for-profit and do not donate their profits to charities.
Thrifted clothes are often higher quality than fast-fashion items from retail stores.
When I began thrifting, I discovered how inflated retail clothing prices are. Clothing purchased at a retail store in the mall or online is expensive and not always of the highest quality or made from the highest-quality materials. “Some of the clothes available at the mall are such terrible quality these days,” says my mother, Catherine Jackson, 43.
It’s easy to blow $100 on a single item at the mall or online stores. However, that same $100 can buy many outfits at a thrift store. If you have the patience to carefully look through the racks, you could find items made by luxury brands that would otherwise be unaffordable to a teenager. “I recently thrifted these Timberlands. I got them for $20,” says Lincoln Koepnick, 16. You can also find vintage clothing made from high-quality materials that modern brands no longer use, such as full-grain leather, cashmere, and Scottish wool.
Thrifting can help create a unique personal style
Teen thrift store shoppers can hone their own aesthetic by choosing only the items they are drawn to, rather than what influencers and retail stores push them to purchase.
When I started shopping at thrift stores, I began to develop my own sense of style. The lower prices at these stores meant I had the flexibility to try various brands and see what I liked. I personally enjoy expressing my personality through my unique style, and most of my wardrobe is thrifted.
NBC News reports that Gen Z students are embracing thrift-store shopping not only because it’s budget-friendly and sustainable but also because these stores offer a great selection of clothing. Searching the racks of a thrift store can feel exhilarating, like a treasure hunt, as opposed to shopping at a traditional retail store.
Reselling
Thrifting can also be a way to make money.
I began to resell clothing on online platforms such as Depop and eBay. I spent time studying what was popular on these websites. Once I developed a sense of what sold well, I was able to buy items at thrift stores and sell them online for a markup. Selling online does take work: I have to make sure the items are clean, ironed, and photographed well. I also have to take care to accurately list the item and provide measurements. Recently, I found a Patagonia Synchilla jacket for $6 at Goodwill and sold it on Depop within hours for $55. Although reselling may be criticized for raising clothing prices, it is a great and accessible way for teens to learn the principles of running a business.
