Thrifting and Slow Fashion: More Than Just A Bargain

by Desh Jack Peace To All

Nowadays, it’s very common to hear that thrift shopping has become “a norm” among young people, and it’s not hard to see why. There are a lot of benefits from this practice, both for the thrifter and for the environment. But this fast-growing trend has created some cons for people in some communities that may not have been expected.

A thrift shop, as most everyone knows, is a place that sells used clothing, and sometimes other household items, for very cheap prices. It might be a little tedious but if people take their time browsing through the racks of the store, they might find some gems! Many strike gold and find very unique vintage pieces as well as last seasons´ pieces from exclusive brands for a very low price.

This type of bargain hunting has become a huge incentive for people that are really into fashion. Not surprisingly, they realized that unique pieces of clothing can be bought for a fraction of what they might cost in boutiques. Thrift stores have gone from being considered “nasty” to gems for lovers of individuality.

But the cheapness and uniqueness that thrift stores represent are only some of the reasons why they have become so popular. Does it come as a shock that the other reason has more to do with awareness regarding sustainability?

Clothes that are sold in shopping malls are made and produced in huge quantities for consumers. This takes a lot of resources to create, produces over-worked employees, and, worst of all, most of the clothing does not completely sell out. So, what happens to the clothes that do not get sold? Shockingly, they might end up thrown away or even burned. The fashion industry has a reputation for being very wasteful and a massive contributor to a trashy environment.

Thankfully, slow fashion has been a massive trend in shopping for clothes! It truly is the more conscious way of consumerism.

Slow fashion is about encouraging people to buy clothes that were not mass-produced. Brands that are into this trend make sure that their garments are made out of high-quality materials, and that they won´t tear down in less than 1 year. Also, they follow a more sustainable process using garments that are locally sourced, produced and sold.

These types of pieces are very exclusive. They come in only a few quantities with very specific styles produced per collection (normally only released twice or a maximum of three times per year). Slow fashion goes against the philosophy of consumerism, putting emphasis on the art of making clothes and celebrating the skills of the craftspeople.

This type of fashion trend has seen an increase in support in the last few years, with awareness from consumers and demands for higher sustainability and ethical standards. It’s clear now that most fast fashion-related searches are linked to the environment, ethics as well as sustainability. This is a great win for those that care about their impact on the world and reducing their carbon footprint.

Yet, many people cannot afford to buy slow fashion clothing pieces because of the exclusivity around the items. The prices for the garments end up being very high (which is inaccessible for college students or people with a low income). The solution prevails with thrift shopping.

At the end of the day, it’s great that people have options! Whether or not they have the income to shop for high-quality lasting clothing, they are able to check their impact on the earth. Nowadays, thrift stores are boasting a somewhat new reputation, are found all over the world and have a ton of very loyal followers. And, that’s always that one great thing about the market –people will follow the trend and it will explode!

There are many thrift stores in most cities and even more on the internet, if someone were to search #thriftstore on Instagram thousands of pictures and accounts would pop up.

We certainly have reached a need for real sustainability options, and excuses just won’t cut it any longer. There are so many ways to “do the right thing” including where you buy that next piece of clothing.