You must have come across posts and reels on social media where people are talking about the importance of thrifting and buying second-hand clothing. Increased conversations around mindful consumption and how harmful fast fashion is to the planet have made people, especially millennials and post-millennials, or Gen Z, across the world more conscious of the way they approach fashion.
Also Read: Want to make fashion sustainable? Make it accessible, verifiable
Thrifting simply means buying second-hand clothes at cheaper rates. Besides ensuring that a piece of clothing lives its entire life cycle, thrifting also helps provide a unique opportunity to customers to discover their own style and identity. Since each piece of clothing is different and not mass produced, chances are you won't run into someone wearing the same shirt as you are. And as for hygiene, all these clothes are sanitised before being sold. What's more, thrifting isn’t just limited to clothing. You can thrift jewellery, purses, bags, shoes and other accessories.
During the start of the pandemic, many young people started thrift stores on Instagram to promote slow and sustainable fashion. Many of these stores act like a middle person between the buyer and seller of used clothes, that have labels like H&M, Zara, even Gucci and Versace.
Want to know where you can start your thrifting journey? Here are some places that offer fun and unique stuff:
Bombay Closet Cleanse
Bombay Closet Cleanse operates on Instagram and has a full-fledged shop in Mumbai's Bandra area. From varsity jackets to colourful shirts and fancy dresses, they have everything. They also have a dedicated section of thrifted clothes for plus-size customers. Run by two women, they often have sales, where 100% of profits are donated to charities.
Vintage Laundry
Offering edgy clothing and cute accessories like gua shas, Vintage Laundry's Instagram bio reads, “Sasta kapda (cheap clothes) for broke millennials”, and that's exactly what they sell. Their Insta feed is filled with vibrant and colourful items that are as fresh as they are vintage. It's one of the few brands that sells vintage Parisian clothes in India.
Also Read: Can sustainable fashion become a default choice?
Panda Picked Store
Looking for that Pinterest aesthetic? Panda Picked Store has got you covered. They offer everything, from jeans to dresses and skirts and vintage clothes at reasonable prices. They also have a lovely collection of knits and lingerie, which flaunts their philosophy that innerwear is outerwear.
Thrift India
Wondering where to find that “cool girl” aesthetic everyone's always flaunting on the gram? This is your place. They sell the trendiest Gen Z outfits. From pre-loved jeans and shirts to lace tops from H&M and Zara, they have everything at much reasonable prices.
