Thrifting is a popular way to shop for one-of-a-kind garments, but the rise of gentrification is changing the game, says Shaikha Rahimi
I love vintage clothes. For the past couple of years, local thrift stores have served as a treasure chest for some of my favourite wardrobe pieces. When I have nothing to do and want to go for a walk, I could be found at my closest thrift store in town looking for the next unmissable bargain. When I have something to do and don’t feel like going out, I can be found on my sofa non-stop scrolling on Depop.
I don’t do that anymore. I don’t know if I can find a bargain these days. Not at my local thrift store and definitely not on Depop. Thrifting gained popularity as an affordable and eco-friendly alternative to fast fashion until it became a quirky personality trait.
That’s when things started going down.
I really enjoyed Depop, the same way many others did when looking to buy affordable clothes. During lockdown, I used Depop as an alternative to in-person window-shopping, so by the nature of that I became very observant of trends on the app. Prices kept going up and up. That’s because some people’s Saturday morning thrift runs became a scavenger hunt for soon-to-be £100 vintage y2k pieces.
People are increasingly up-charging clothing items and it’s doing more harm than good.
Thrift stores are a resource that aid underprivileged communities that won’t break the bank. But they will soon get to a place that will break the bank if thrift stores keep raising their prices. A sales report by ThredUp in 2022 projected that the second-hand fashion market was worth £62, but it’s growing in the wrong direction.
That’s not the issue. The issue is the people who fill these stores with trolleys loaded with garments and phones ready to resell the newly acquired clothes at absurd prices. Reselling and up-charging second-hand fashion defeat the purpose of thrifting. The idea behind donating clothes is to provide them to those who otherwise would not be able to buy them, rather than catering to wealthier individuals looking to capitalise.
So, while I avoid Depop for the meantime, I am hoping those who make purchases from there will receive packages from the seller’s closet and not their trolley. Who knows? Maybe someday thrifting will not be more expensive than fast fashion.
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