While the fashion industry has always been seen as a fast-paced, dynamic, and unpredictable one in terms of the never-ending suspense of not knowing what is going to be the next “big thing” to marvel at, it has also been the cause of audiences to diverge into incompatible groups with each one presenting its own distinct arguments of interest. Regardless of the severity of precautions and sustainable measures undertaken to diminish the cons of the apparel industry, it has been pointed out as being a cause of pollution, increased carbon footprint and has been identified to have violated labor rights upon several instances. However, a game-changing solution to amend such flaws turned out to be something often unaccepted and unconventional – thrifting. Using pre-owned clothes does not seem to be condescending anymore and rather appeals as being on the way to being normalized.

The Rise of Thrift

Shopping has become more of a need than a want due to the changes through time. What was once an act of leisure has become more of an act of relevance to maintain stability; subsequently, look good within the contending changes in fashion and preferences. Urban youth of the current scene has been the flagbearers of causing change and several paradigm shifts. What once seemed rather demeaning tends to have been normalized with heed to time and change in societal beliefs. Handed-down clothes – second-hand clothes – are now cooler than ever due to the hype it has successfully generated across mainstream media platforms. As such, the youth have become rather fond of thrifting than spending on buying first-hand clothes from retail outlets directly. The sense of being trendy further adds to the many reasons for thrifting.

Apart from so, the youth have always been a key player in redefining norms and standing for what is right when it calls for mass movement and understanding. Due to the several incidents around the globe, such as the Rana Plaza incident, more and more diversified audiences have ingrained a sense of awareness towards the environmental and ethical challenges posed by the apparel industry. A prime concern tends to be the underpaid wages, the poor working conditions, and the risk to health and safety amongst the many others. Additionally, the current generation seems to be more aware of the potential risk to a greener lifestyle caused by apparel industries and fashion as a whole.

The cons are negligible when seen under the context of an individual. However, fashion is more of a mass than a niche which adds to significant loss and damage when seen all together – causing a potential threat to a greener tomorrow. As such, thrifting seems to be a simple, yet effective solution that can be sustained.

Why should one love to thrift?

There can be several reasons to thrift – ranging from one’s socioeconomic orientation to one’s love for Mother Nature.

Love for tomorrow

Sustainability is a key measure of likeness under modern circumstances. Be it a business project or just a simple act of interest, several consumers tend to evaluate their decisions with an added ground of sustainability for the long run. The love for the world is unparalleled to the set-offs achieved. As a result, thrifting allows individuals to become responsible residents of the Earth. Even if in smaller proportions, the sense of achievement and responsibility tends to get a better hold of the subconscious plane. As an example, imagine one buying a high-end tee branded with luxury and drenched with the exploitation of children in a sweatshop. On a rather subconscious note, it leads to guilt when confronted with activists. On the other hand, imagine one buying a thrift tee. It does not only create a sense of achievement but makes one feel good about themselves since they are doing something for the greater good by addressing the need for clothing rather than the want of having luxury clothing.

Part of the pack

The thrift community is surging in numbers worldwide as more and more people join forces to normalize thrifting and not get shunned by their “Chanel-shopping friends” anymore. Being a part of something bigger and newer attracts attention as being more trendy and up-to-date. Especially when it is for a cause for the world.

Wardrobe Diversity

Thrift shopping allows shoppers to have access to diverse labels and wears which further goes into causing a lovable diversity within their wardrobes. Rather than having a one-off fashion sense, shoppers are able to try and experiment with different styles and items to enhance their styles and fashion sense. In instances, it also allows individuals to appear as being out-of-the-box since most first-hand shoppers usually stick to the same labels and tend to develop a monotony in terms of fashion.

It’s Always a Deal

While high-end fashion outlets retail their products at rocketed markups derived from brand value, thrift stores open doors to the same product at a significantly lower price. Consequently, a branded item becomes more purchasable and budget constraints become less stiff in terms of anticipated expenditure.

Make it your own

Since thrifting saves up a reasonable proportion of expenditure, the balance can be used to spend on alterations and customizations which allows an item purchased to evolve from being a generic product to a unique one as being differentiated with customization. The entire experience is pleasant when thrifting since it allows creativity to break through and stun audiences. The alteration further allows clothes to be resized and fitted as per need or preference.

What is the problem with Thrifting?

The process of thrifting is not limited to individual buyers but to resellers as well. Such resellers buy out the cheaper apparel and sell it at a price with their markup included. Such issues are caused by small to medium-scale retailers and even sellers on digital mediums. In many cases, the reseller adds on further minor alterations to the product and sells it at a significantly higher rate. The matter is entirely unethical since the sellers are making a profit off of what was supposed to fulfill the need of a particular community.

The resellers often buy up second-hand items in bulk in order to resell for profit – which further causes a scarcity of thrift apparel. Thrifting is an experience that is supposed to be derived from the joy of availability. Even without the reseller, it is an ordeal to find an item of choice in between a large collection of apparel and choices. With items being lost in bulk, the shoppers are often unable to meet their choices and may even fail to make a satisfactory purchase.

Bangladesh and Thrifting

Thrifting in Bangladesh was already existent as of the late 1960s. However, the overall perception of thrift shopping was synonymous with degradation. It is often deemed as being a mode of shopping for the ones who are not better off financially and have an unfulfilled socioeconomic identity. However, since the pandemic, thrifting has surged in Bangladesh and it seems that the country is gradually adapting to thrifting with acceptance and changing mindsets.

There are several thrift stores – offline and online – which are able to cater to the needs of thrift shoppers such as students and new professionals. While offline thrifting is a pleasant experience, online thrifting is a greater challenge since it is a race against other thrifts and resellers who end up purchasing in bulk.

The fast-paced fashion industry is changing rapidly and it somehow relies on the styles left behind and the ones adapted. In the same way, thrifting may be the next trendsetter of shopping and fashion for Bangladesh in the long run.

It is a choice to make

Thrifting is completely a choice to be made by the shopper. While one has the freedom to purchase from high-end stores, they also have the choice to choose a cheaper and more sustainable alternative. There are several factors in judging an ethical apparel maker, however, thrifting remains as being greener as of yet. The matter is not an ethical dilemma and is rather an opportunity. According to Sunayra Subha, the founder, and owner of Bangladeshthrift, by 2025, the thrifting market will grow to $53 billion. Such a probability is quite surprising for the ones who are unaware of thrifting. However, with adherence and changing tastes as well as preferences, the dynamics of the market may indeed lead to such a growth in being achieved and utilized.

Written By Mohaimenul Solaiman Nicholas