Thifting Trend Takes Over Pioneer Campus
Thrifting trend sees an uptick in student participation in an effort to be environmentally friendly.
By Jisela Negrete
Thrifting trend sees an uptick in student participation in an effort to be environmentally friendly.
By Jisela Negrete
Thrifting is when you purchase items that have been previously used. In the past thrifting was looked down upon, and was seen as shameful for the fact that the clothes were used. However, recently there has been an upward trend in thrifting as it has become a huge trend, globally and even here on campus.
According to the 2021 “Resale Report” on Thredup.com, changing shopper motivations have led to a rise in the popularity of thrifting. The report said half of the surveyed consumers care more about clothing value than they did pre-pandemic, and one in three care more about wearing sustainable apparel.
There are many causes behind the recent upward trend in thrifting, but one of the main reasons is that people are gaining awareness about how harmful the fashion industry is to the environment. Thrifting helps reduce this by minimizing the waste created by thrown out clothes.
“You’re not going and buying new stuff that’s been made but you’re using stuff that’s already been made,” said art teacher Annie Tobin .
This heightened environmental awareness has allowed for the de-stigmatization of thrifting. “Thrifting is helpful for the earth because there are all these items that are just left there. So, instead of getting brand new ones, you can just get a used one. There’s nothing bad about thrifting, in a way it’s recycling and reusing,“ said Ashley Luna, 9.
Although the increasing popularity of thrifting has reduced waste generated by the fashion industry and has minimized fast fashion purchases, it does come with setbacks. Many people are starting to take notice that due to the high demand and popularity in thrift stores, prices are starting to rise.
“Thrifting tends to be cheaper, however recently, since its popularity has grown, prices have been driven up,” said Destiny Lara, 12.
In the past thrifting used to be stigmatized and was looked at as something people should be ashamed of. The recent popularity and trendiness of thrifting makes some upset with the ignorance of people just following trends.
“The prices of things are going up when thrift stores were originally more for lower income households. Growing up, it was ‘embarrassing’ to shop at thrift stores and I never told anyone I went there. Now, the same people who would’ve made fun of me for it in elementary school think it’s ‘trendy,’” said Isra Shaikh, 9.
Many opinions speculate that thrifting is good for the environment but shouldn’t be a daily errand for everyone. Spikes in thrift store prices caused by the rapid influx from middle and upper class consumers choosing to shop at second-hand stores for environmental reasons has made thrift stores less accessible to those who relied on them as their main clothing outlet with less financial stability.
“It’s better for the environment but when more people thrift, the prices go up and it’s expensive for those who need it. So I think it’s good, but not for every purchase,” said Austen Mok, 9.
Not only is shopping second hand good for the environment but it can also allow students to be more creative with their outfits by giving them a larger variety of brands, sizes, and styles to shop from, all in one store.
“You can piece together a lot of interesting things when you (thrift)...You put these things together and have some creative aesthetic,” said Tobin.
Personally choosing clothes from a larger variety not only allows for an increase of creativity, but can also provide students with additional comfort.
“I do wear my thrifted items a lot,” said Luna. “They’re comfortable and just the perfect fit for me.”
According to the 2021 “Resale Report” on Thredup.com, changing shopper motivations have led to a rise in the popularity of thrifting. The report said half of the surveyed consumers care more about clothing value than they did pre-pandemic, and one in three care more about wearing sustainable apparel.
There are many causes behind the recent upward trend in thrifting, but one of the main reasons is that people are gaining awareness about how harmful the fashion industry is to the environment. Thrifting helps reduce this by minimizing the waste created by thrown out clothes.
“You’re not going and buying new stuff that’s been made but you’re using stuff that’s already been made,” said art teacher Annie Tobin .
This heightened environmental awareness has allowed for the de-stigmatization of thrifting. “Thrifting is helpful for the earth because there are all these items that are just left there. So, instead of getting brand new ones, you can just get a used one. There’s nothing bad about thrifting, in a way it’s recycling and reusing,“ said Ashley Luna, 9.
Although the increasing popularity of thrifting has reduced waste generated by the fashion industry and has minimized fast fashion purchases, it does come with setbacks. Many people are starting to take notice that due to the high demand and popularity in thrift stores, prices are starting to rise.
“Thrifting tends to be cheaper, however recently, since its popularity has grown, prices have been driven up,” said Destiny Lara, 12.
In the past thrifting used to be stigmatized and was looked at as something people should be ashamed of. The recent popularity and trendiness of thrifting makes some upset with the ignorance of people just following trends.
“The prices of things are going up when thrift stores were originally more for lower income households. Growing up, it was ‘embarrassing’ to shop at thrift stores and I never told anyone I went there. Now, the same people who would’ve made fun of me for it in elementary school think it’s ‘trendy,’” said Isra Shaikh, 9.
Many opinions speculate that thrifting is good for the environment but shouldn’t be a daily errand for everyone. Spikes in thrift store prices caused by the rapid influx from middle and upper class consumers choosing to shop at second-hand stores for environmental reasons has made thrift stores less accessible to those who relied on them as their main clothing outlet with less financial stability.
“It’s better for the environment but when more people thrift, the prices go up and it’s expensive for those who need it. So I think it’s good, but not for every purchase,” said Austen Mok, 9.
Not only is shopping second hand good for the environment but it can also allow students to be more creative with their outfits by giving them a larger variety of brands, sizes, and styles to shop from, all in one store.
“You can piece together a lot of interesting things when you (thrift)...You put these things together and have some creative aesthetic,” said Tobin.
Personally choosing clothes from a larger variety not only allows for an increase of creativity, but can also provide students with additional comfort.
“I do wear my thrifted items a lot,” said Luna. “They’re comfortable and just the perfect fit for me.”