Gone are the days when second-hand shopping, more commonly known as “thrifting”, was frequently deemed uncool. Throughout the past couple of years students feel that thrifting has been on a momentous rise with Gen Z, primarily as a way to gain unique clothing that one simply cannot find in their local mall. Thrifting is resurfacing, and many believe that it will surely stick around for a while.
Many students are avid thrifters, commonly knowing exactly where to find the best deals, whether that be online or in-store.
“I mainly shop at Goodwill because it’s the most accessible for me, but I also shop in antique stores on occasion,” Jasper Dolude, junior, said.
According to a recent Fielder poll of 160 students, a solid 60 percent of poll takers confirm that they commonly shop for second-hand merchandise, with 51 percent of those shopping on online second-hand websites. In-store shopping is still the favorite, however, with 90 percent of thrifters shopping in-person.
“I love thrifting. It has so many old styles and donated things from the past you never know what you’ll find until you explore,” Hector Herrera, sophomore, said.
Evidently, there are a lot of ways to easily get second-hand items. Some may wonder what the point of thrifting is when they could easily go to any other store and find something brand-new.
“You could find more vintage and abnormal clothing at thrift stores. Mall outlet stores each have a theme like trashy cali or sunny florida, but you step into Goodwill and you don’t know what you’re leaving with,” Miguel Ramirez, senior said. “It’s also very cheap in bulk and can be styled if used correctly.”
Thrift stores also have a vast number of different styles. There are many different benefits to incorporating some second-hand pieces into one’s wardrobe.
“I can find things that I’ve been wanting, that I can’t find anywhere else,” Michael Matza, senior, said.
Thrifting is also very sustainable, providing a cheaper option for those that do not want to spend a lot of money on something that may become out-of-style in a mere few months.
“It’s cheaper and you can find cooler, better quality stuff. The quality of clothes in stores has really gone down and I’m not about to pay $40 for something that’s gonna fall apart in a year,” Val White, junior, said.
Other people shop there to find deals and then resell those items for a profit.
“I think it’s stupid when people who can afford to do that shop at Goodwill or resell stuff they get there, all it does is drive up the prices there,” White said.
Regardless of the reason, more people are turning to second hand shopping. In a study conducted by NPR, Gen Z accounts for over 40 percent of second-hand store sales nationwide.
According to the Fielder survey, 84 percent of thrift-shopping students agree that there has been an increase in second-hand shopping recently. In fact, 19 percent of students who shop second hand began within the past 3 years. All in all, it is clear that the rise of Gen Z also brings the rise of thrifting.
