Thrift stores such as The Goodwill (pictured above) sell secondhand items from low prices. When hobby thrifters choose to shop at these stores, they take away resources that are meant for low-income communities (courtesy of Jeepersmedia, Creative Commons).
In a world filled with fast fashion and an abundance of mass-produced items, thrift stores play a huge role in keeping issues like sweatshops and environmental concerns under control. At stores such as The Salvation Army and Goodwill, people can purchase a large selection of second-hand items including clothing and furniture. While society has begun to embrace thrift shopping over the past decade as a way to combat fast fashion and save a pretty penny, its growing popularity with the middle and upper class can actually have harmful ramifications.
Although it’s great to reuse and circulate items whenever possible, people need to be conscious of where they’re getting these items and who else might want or need them. For instance, when a member of the middle class decides to shop at thrift stores in low-income areas, they’re taking resources away from customers who have lower incomes. While middle-class customers likely don’t have malicious intentions and are simply trying to find good deals, they should take into consideration those who have no choice but to shop at these thrift stores.
Aside from those who thrift to save money, there are people from the middle- and upper-class who thrift-shop for items they can upcycle as a hobby or even resell for profit. For instance, many DIY YouTubers are recommending the use of thrift store items as base items for projects. While it may seem harmless to purchase cheap furniture and clothing to use in DIY projects, doing so takes away these items from those who actually need them.
Hobby-thrifting is essentially the middle class’ way of gentrifying thrift stores. What was originally created to support low-income communities and provide them with secondhand items for low prices has become a trendy way for the middle class to obtain the items they desire while simultaneously saving some money. In an article from 22 West Magazine’s, writer Logan Cross accuses middle-class thrifters of “taking advantage of something that wasn’t really created to benefit [them].”
Of course, thrift stores aren’t limited to low-income customers or people that live in the area. So, if middle-class thrifters find themselves shopping outside of their own neighborhood, they should try to be mindful of what items they purchase. They should not buy essential items, such as winter coats and garments, socks and furniture unless they truly can’t afford to purchase these items elsewhere.
These thrifters should also refrain from buying too many “good finds” such as brand clothing or rare fashion trends, as these are harder to come by in thrift stores and may be the only place less fortunate customers can afford to buy them. A good rule of thumb is to consider one’s own financial status and whether or not it’s possible to purchase these items elsewhere.
Another way to thrift in good conscience is to frequently donate to the thrift stores one shops at, as well as the stores in lower-income neighborhoods. If every thrifter maintained a good donation-to-purchase ratio, this would allow stores to keep their low prices and desirable merchandise.
The point I’m trying to make here isn’t that all thrifting habits are bad. Re-circulating items is essential to reducing waste in the world and saving the environment. Rather, thrifters should be conscious about their purchases. Irresponsible thrifting as a hobby or side-hustle is just selfish.