Amidst the pandemic, closures all around the country brought about the rise of online shopping and thrifting. It became more convenient for people that did not want to shop physically as well as allow for more productive and economic shopping trips. 

During the summer of 2020, thrift stores and small businesses became the norm as they allowed everyone to support smaller creators that were contributing and working diligently to put out products for their consumers during such a difficult time. This became the root of social media success in the fashion world. Other fashion fields that people choose to partake in were the reselling and upcycling industries. 

The Effects of Reselling and Upcycling

Reselling became extremely popular back in the ’80s due to the growth of sneakerhead culture and the launch of the official Air Jordan line, named after the retired basketball player Michael Jordan. Reselling shoes has recently made a big impact on the shoe industry due to the masses of people buying the same type of shoe in order to upcycle/resell them. The issue people usually see with reselling is the mass inflating prices of the shoes in the original manufacturers due to the unrealistic upping of prices from resellers. Popular places where people resell their shoes are on sites like GOAT or StockX. People usually resell popular shoes like the Air Jordan 1’s, Nike’s Air Force 1’s, Nike’s Air Maxes, Adidas’ Yeezys’ models, etc. because they are what is currently trending online on social media platforms like Instagram, Tiktok, and Twitter. If you were to go out to a populated city such as New York or L.A., the odds of you seeing someone wearing the same pair of shoes as you is very high.

The trend involving the upcycling of Nike’s Air Force 1’s skyrocketed after the rising popularity of streetwear. Many individuals on social media have taken it upon themselves to apply their artistic creativity onto these shoes and share it with the world. Artists would paint blue morpho butterflies or Aang and friends from the popular show Avatar: The Last Airbender onto these shoes and sell them for more than the original manufacturer’s price. No matter what you are looking for, there will always be a talented artist with a wall of Forces waiting for your commission and contribution towards their business. 

Why do people choose to buy second-hand?

Countless people see the contribution toward big corporations as unethical due to how many articles of clothing, shoes, and pieces of jewelry are made. Online websites like Shein and Romwe have recently risen in popularity due to the increase in online shopping. Their inexpensive prices are what draw millions of young consumers to their sites while putting the environment and conditions of their workers at the expense of making only a few dollars. They contribute to the manufacturing of wool-based products and excessive use of microplastics or synthetic fibers in their clothing, which can absorb hazardous chemicals and, if inhaled, can harm workers. How much is our society willing to sacrifice at the expense of shopping ethically?

Many consumers also choose to buy second-hand-not only because of how economic it is for them but because of the morality of corporation purchasing. Purchasing from big corporations and not knowing who made that t-shirt you’re buying can be scary to some people, and not choosing to economically contribute to that is valid. Thrifting at places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army has always been a go-to for many lower-end families and has recently made its way to people trying to stay up to date on trends. 

However, another issue that arose from people thrifting was the reselling of “thrifted” clothes. Popular sites like Depop and Poshmark received a wave of users over the past year who resell old clothes, or “thrifted” clothes at unreasonable prices. This caused prices in well-known thrift stores to increase due to the high demand as well as the prices that they were being sold for online. The people that relied on thrift stores for economic clothing purchases can no longer go to their favorite stores because of the pricing markups in physical stores. 

Should you buy second-hand or stick to corporate purchasing?

Contributing to fast fashion or buying from thrift stores/small businesses is a personal choice and also based on multiple factors. What you’re trying to buy or how much money you have can all be obstacles that steer you towards unethical consumption because it is now more economical for you that way. However, as consumers, we should think of the effect of the materials we consume and how they may affect our environment in the near future.

The growth of buying things second-hand or even making your own clothes has created a whole new course of action in the world of fashion. It has kickstarted new online trends, become a form of income for many, and started new communities as well. Many people are now able to enjoy their favorite styles, consume economically, and represent themselves socially as the person that they wish to be.