The Industrial Revolution marked a change for the fashion production scene as the world transitioned from at-home sewers to full-scale factory operations. Two of the most notable inventions of the time include the sewing machine and spinning jenny, which have since allowed for the ability to produce clothing in faster and cheaper ways. Today, this ability to produce clothing at such a rapid pace has been honed in such a way that it has given rise to fast fashion, or the mass production and consumption of cheap clothing. Consequently, the amount of clothing waste has steadily increased as well. 

In Australia alone, landfills can be found filling up with over 500 million kilograms of clothing per year. The scrutiny that has fallen on fast fashion, along with the prevalence of social media, has led to an increased interest in thrifting. According to Vox, the $28 billion dollar secondhand fashion industry has more than doubled since 2019 and is projected to reach $64 billion dollars by 2024. 

Proponents of thrifting argue that it is one of the most sustainable ways to obtain clothing and battle fast fashion. Thrifting, similar to recycling, ensures that waste will be minimized and resources will be conserved. According to the United Nations, as fast fashion is responsible for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, thrifting may even be a possible method for combating climate change. 

However, with the rise in popularity of thrifting comes arguments that it has become increasingly gentrified. Critics of this gentrification in thrifting argue that the increase in numbers of wealthier people who frequent thrift stores poses an obstacle for the original, often lower-income shoppers. This creates the potential for shortages in affordable clothing, as the increased number of shoppers has raised prices. Many wealthier shoppers often tend to resell items at much higher rates in secondhand shops, such as Poshmark or Depop, as well.

However, shoppers might not be entirely to blame. Even though stores such as Goodwill claim to price their items at a “fair market value based on the brand and condition of the item,” others have driven up their prices in accordance with thrifting’s newfound popularity. Thrift stores also often find themselves with an overabundance of donations, and though quality clothing might be quickly sold to wealthier buyers, the scarcity of items overall is not necessarily compromised. 

All of this begs the question: is thrifting a fun, sustainable way to buy clothes or a gentrified practice that should be limited? 

Information retrieved from The Week, Vox, and BBC.