‘Depop’ and ‘Vinted’ were relatively undiscovered 10 years ago, and charity shops were deemed only for those on lower incomes to find an affordable outfit.
Fast forward to today, and the second hand shopping scene looks vastly different, with TikTok trends of thrifting for Y2K clothes and a focus on sustainability within the fashion industry launching the buying of preloved clothes into the spotlight.
From a sustainable standpoint, this is widely regarded as a move in the right direction, being a way for people to indulge in fashion without adding to the number of garments being produced and therefore being more environmentally conscious.
However, in today’s age of influencers who naively post charity shop hauls which garner hundreds of thousands of views from people who will be inspired to do the same, we are seeing the working class people who rely on second hand shopping be forgotten about, as something they rely on for their livelihood has started to trend.
As the demand for pre-loved clothes rises, their prices follow suit, and coupled with Depop users reselling charity shop bargains for five times what they were bought for originally, we are arguably beginning to see the gentrification of second hand clothing.
This has sparked widespread criticism, with many saying buying second hand is no longer about sustainability, but instead is seen as a commodification of working class culture which excludes those very people by pricing them out of it entirely.
The fashion industry as a whole has a murky history with fetishising living on the breadline. A clear recent example is Burberry’s SS24 collaboration with a ‘greasy spoon’ cafe for London Fashion week earlier this year.
The luxury fashion house showcasing its latest collection against the backdrop of a cafe normally frequented by people on lower incomes was a tone deaf paradox that was not well received.
Whether it was to appear relatable to Londoner’s or was the brand jumping on a trend, it was a controversial move, with the cafe serving a full English with a side of caviar being the perfect metaphor for how the working class had been disregarded.
On a microcosmic scale, the proliferation of second hand shopping hauls has an impact eerily similar to Burberry’s campaign, not considering that their are people for whom this is a necessity in order to get by and not something they do by choice.
That being said, pursuing through charity shops and buying from second hand stores is still a necessary sustainable switch fashion lovers can make to be more aware of their environmental impact. It’s only when it is used to fill the void of fast fashion where it becomes problematic.
Shopping in vintage stores or car boot sales shouldn’t be treated as a replacement for fast fashion; this is still resulting in overconsumption and is therefore hypocritical to be considered sustainable.
Instead, it should be part of the slow fashion movement where there are no hauls or buying with the intent to resell for profit, just people popping in every now and again wishing to seek out that perfect second-hand treasure.
Shopping in your local Cancer Research store is still a far better option than turning to Shein, however it is important to remember that for some, shopping in charity shops isn’t a choice.
Just because you are buying vintage does not mean you are shopping sustainably. The most sustainable clothing choice is what's already in your wardrobe.
Edited by Emily Duff