During April, the push to celebrate Earth Month and embrace sustainability can feel forced and overused. However, thrifting is a creative alternative to more traditional efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle. The ability to use thrifting as a creative outlet as well as a way to protect the environment has aided its growth in popularity amongst younger generations.
The growth of microtrends and fast fashion has created a dire situation for the planet. The desire to fit in with trends and purchase as much clothing as possible produces overwhelming amounts of waste. More than 34 billion pounds of used clothing is discarded each year in America alone. That is almost 100 pounds of waste per person.
With so much waste being circulated throughout the country, sustainable fashion is more important than ever. Thrifting is a direct solution to combat overconsumption as it extends the lifespan of clothing. By purchasing secondhand items, consumers are able to prevent more waste from ending up in landfills while also adding unique pieces to their wardrobe.
Trinity High School Sophomore Coryn Stoy enjoys the untraditional items that can be found in thrift stores and says, “I enjoy thrifting because there are so many random things you can find that you didn’t know you were looking for. You could also find really cool old trends too.”
Affordability can be a limiting factor for many people looking to buy clothes. Thrifting, however, provides less expensive alternatives, which allows more people to develop their own personal style. Fashion is a vital part of self expression for teenagers and expanding the availability of stylish pieces adds to the allure of thrifting, especially for high school students saving up for college.
“Fashion helps me express myself in ways other forms cannot. As an active member of this school’s art department, I tend to take more creative forms of expression, such as painting, drawing and more. Tuning these into the medium of fashion has been a learning curve for me, but I enjoy the community. Expressing myself through fashion allows me to connect with others and engage in its community,” says Trinity Senior Savannah Rivera.
The growing popularity of thrifting has allowed for more thrift stores to flourish. Many popular options include Plato’s Closet, Goodwill and City Mission. If in-person shopping is stressful, shoppers also have a multitude of online options such as Poshmark, Mercari or Vinted.
Visiting these locations and more can also provide valuable opportunities to spend time with friends. Many thrifters enjoy shopping in groups to gather more feedback on their purchases and have a more enjoyable experience overall.
Pollution and waste are dangerous to the earth and combating this problem requires the efforts of individuals of all ages. Thrifting provides an unorthodox solution and allows for the younger generation to get involved with environmentalism while staying true to their personal interests.
