Many people love thrifting. This form of retail developed as a way to provide affordable products for the less fortunate. As the most accessible place for affordable clothing, furniture, and other goods, thrift stores are a necessity for many low-income families. However, the recent rise in popularity of secondhand shopping, fueled by trends on social media and growing awareness of the issues with fast fashion, has created a new problem: the gentrification of thrift stores. Higher demand has caused thrift stores to raise their prices; while some thrift store customers are financially capable of accepting such changes, many are not.

Thrifting is now viewed as a vintage shopping experience. This shift has led to higher prices in order to reflect the perceived “coolness” of secondhand finds. According to a 2024 report from The Record, “Customers of a generally higher income demographic are buying frequently and in large quantities from their stores. As a method of increasing profits (when the cost of inventory is virtually zero), they mark up products of good quality or of a particular brand that is likely to be sought after, knowing that the inflated cost, although still under the initial cost, will nonetheless be purchased by someone able to afford it.”

This new shift has been driven by several factors. According to the ThredUp Resale Report, the global secondhand apparel market will reach $350 billion by 2028, growing three times faster than the overall global apparel market. Thrift shopping faces less stigma, especially since the fast fashion industry has been under more pressure for its unethical practices and unsafe working conditions by activists on social media. Coupled with concerns about negative environmental impacts, thrifting has been presented as the solution to shopping with a clean conscience. This idea spread on social media platforms like Tiktok and Instagram, which display influencers styling thrifted outfits, with unique and vintage pieces as a way to stay on top of trends without breaking the bank. Additionally, there is a growing push back against fast fashion for its negative environmental consequences, causing many consumers to be drawn into thrift stores with the hopes of reducing textile waste. However, such trends have caused evident consequences for low-income families. According to Tacoma Daily Index, the popularity of thrifting among higher-income individuals has led lower income families to be “priced out” in some neighborhoods. Many families across the nation who once relied on thrift stores or second-hand stores are now having to choose between paying the high prices or going without new clothes or household goods. This newfound situation exacerbates economic disparities and inequalities.

Although thrifting is beneficial for the environment, current thrifting culture perpetuates overconsumption, causing inaccessibility of second hand products for those in need. Purchasing an excess of unnecessary goods, thrifted or not, still creates waste. The most beneficial and sustainable choice is to make intentional and necessary purchases.