Is Thrifting Ethical?

A couple of years ago, my friend and I were in Goodwill, and we were sorting through racks trying to find the coolest pieces. She found a karate camp shirt signed by all the dojo masters and I found an incredibly cheesy 2015 Disneyland sweatshirt. However, as we were gushing over each other’s finds, I couldn’t help but feel a certain level of dissonance with the other shoppers. Here we were, two privileged, loud teenagers who didn’t need to shop there. If I bought that sweatshirt, was I taking it away from someone who needed it? Was I abusing a charitable service, thus trivializing poverty in the name of fashion? Was I contributing to the gentrification of thrifting? 

Fast fashion is a business model that cheaply mass produces high-fashion designs, hurting the environment and garment workers; however, thrift stores provide a sustainable alternative. As a result, the practice has skyrocketed. There are 3 million results in Google when you type in “thrift haul.” Additionally, reselling on Depop, Instagram, and Poshmark has also skyrocketed. But, recently, the motives behind thrifting and reselling have been questioned. Many are asking the same question as I did: is thrifting ethical if you don’t need to?

After the mainstream war on fast fashion commenced, galvanized by the 2015 documentary The True Cost about the crimes and scams fast fashion brands commit, many turned to thrifting as the answer. Thrifting didn’t suffer from the same criticisms of inaccessible price points that other sustainable brands, like Reformation, Everlane, or Kowtow did. 

However, unnecessary thrifters (those who choose to thrift, not because they can’t afford otherwise) and resellers (those who buy thrift clothes and sell them for a higher price) have been accused of abusing a charitable system, participating in overconsumption, and romanticizing a low-income look.

Do these concerns hold merit? What is an ethical alternative to fast fashion? How do we stop the gentrification of thrifting by the middle and upper class? The answers to these questions are complicated and controversial. 

As stated in this 2020 blog post, critics argue that unnecessary thrifters are an expanding problem because store prices are increasing. According to Goodwill’s Valuation Guides, the current upper end of the price range of items can be three times higher than the 2010 base price. Some argue an increased demand due to unnecessary thrifters, means there is scarcity, which leads to increased prices, making thrifting less accessible. However, unnecessary thrifters and resellers are not solely responsible for this spike in prices.  

For one, thrift stores actually have a huge excess in clothing. According to Goodwill, only 20% of clothes that are donated are sold. The rest are thrown away or sold to developing countries which leads to job losses among local textile workers there. So, demand doesn’t directly correlate with higher prices. Instead, inflation, increased property rent, increased employees’ salaries, and corporate greed can be identified as responsible.

The second argument against unnecessary thrifting is that it takes resources away from those in need. As stated above, there is actually an excessive amount of clothes, and according to Leah Wise, a sustainability blogger and former thrift store manager, those leftover clothes are in good condition (at least in suburban and urban stores). However, there is a scarcity problem in low-income or rural areas. So as long as you shop at suburban or city thrift stores, scarcity is less likely to be a problem. 

Third, some argue the trend of thrift hauls encourages overconsumption, asserting influencers aren’t thrifting to promote sustainability, but for the content. Ironically, thrift shopping is supposed to combat the high-turnover, disposable clothes that fast fashion promotes; however, thrifting can encourage this cycle. The low prices almost justify buying more than necessary. 

Fourth, resellers are being criticized for contributing to rising prices and taking clothes away from low-income communities. Many resellers price their items higher than their thrift store price tag, but according to Jade, a reseller on Depop, this makes sense. Resellers spend hours curating items, sifting through racks, restoring, and packaging. These costs plus the commissions that websites like Depop or Poshmark take means the selling price is nowhere near how much the reseller makes. Jade also said resellers play a critical role in making thrifting more accessible because, “not everyone has a thrift store near them, or is able to stand for the amount of time it takes to sift through clothing.” Lastly, she pointed out many resellers are “lower and middle-class people operating small businesses who use this income to get them through college.” She said she hopes “more people will see the value in it and even try it out for themselves.”

Finally, there is the question of romanticizing a low-income look. According to an i-D article, “dressing poor” isn’t new. In fact, “In eighteenth-century England, wealthy, young men would ‘dress below’ their prescribed class to rebel against a system that they benefited from.” Decades later, people are being accused of the same thing. 

Your fashion is your voice. Roland Barthes, a French essayist, said “what we wear says less about who we are, and more about who we want people to think we are.” We can use clothes to appear to shift between social classes, and diluting the working-class into a “scene” or subculture can be dangerous according to fashion commentators. Specifically because doing so requires no effort other than a financial transaction, making this a trend can become a classist issue. The line between being inspired by and fetishizing the clothing habits of other socioeconomic groups is blurred. However, Barthes reminds us that fashion is a language. Therefore, those who can afford choices should think critically about what they are saying with their fashion. 

So how can we thrift more consciously? First, do your research. Remember, when you buy from a thrift store, you are supporting the charities behind the store. For example, “Out of the Closet,” a thrift store chain, donates 96 cents of every dollar to fund AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s HIV/AIDS programs. Large corporate stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army have come under fire for their “charitable” programs, or lack thereof. So, find out who you are supporting and what communities you might be taking away from. 

If you do want to shop at thrift stores, shop in higher-income areas. Don’t buy high-need items which includes plus-size clothing, professional clothes, winter jackets, and kid’s clothing. Try consignment or vintage stores to avoid buying new clothes or supporting corporate thrift stores.

If you want to donate, find a reputable local organization like a shelter for unhoused people instead of large thrift stores. If you want to get involved, urge thrift stores to set up “free tables” of items they are going to throw away and offer vouchers to those who need it. 

Most importantly, use what you have. To truly combat fast fashion and its toll on the environment, don’t buy unless you need. Your fashion is your voice; what do you want to say with it?