The ethics of thrifting and reselling. Check out the rest of Chelsea’s thoughts over on TikTok

[@mothlight5483]

as someone who works in a thrift store, specifically one that donates clothes and other resources straight back to homeless people and people in need, I can tell you with 100% certainty that we do not get enough customers compared to donations. please buy stuff from thrift stores. we have plenty to go around. I repeat: PLEASE BUY FROM THRIFT STORES!

[@clavgirl]

Thank you for saying it!!

[@PLC2348]

Sadly this comment has the least likes or comments. Because it’s the least sensational and the down to earth truth. I believe some people forget that the money spent at thrift stores GENERALLY (I can only speak for the non-profit involvement/experience I have) benefits disabled groups, animal shelters, low income communities etc. Some believe they are entitled to the best for nothing, forgetting that these thrift stores do serve a purpose in bringing in funding for invaluable programs. There is SO MUCH surplus inventory circulating through thrift stores, there is plenty for everyone. You can’t place blame on someone else because your quality standards are too high for what can be supported by trends, fast fashion and donations in your location.

[@Yoodledoodle]

I buy stuff from thrift stores all the time. It’s about 75% of my wardrobe at this point. But let’s be honest, it’s shit people are getting rid of for FREE because they care so little about it. While there are some absolute gems, there’s a whole bunch of random weird shit that no one ever wants and I can 100% imagine going to the landfill. But while I’m working my 9-5, so I can AFFORD TO BUY THRIFTED CLOTHES, there is a couple who makes it THEIR full time job to go to all the thrift stores and scope out for the high end stuff. They’re not taking the shit that will just end up in the landfill, they’re buying the most “in demand” and they’re able to do this because it’s all they do for a living.

[@mothlight5483]

@@Yoodledoodle you are right about that, but I'm also not mad about it because people gotta make a living somehow. And the poor people who shop at our stores already don't want to pay the prices we put on regular stuff, they sure don't want to pay for our "special priced" items like the Louie Vuitton vintage bag we have going for 50 bucks. So someone turning a profit on an item that's going to sit there for four weeks before we turn it over to the textile salvage, where it will be destroyed for fabric and other parts, I'd much rather someone turn a profit on it. My store in particular doesn't waste hardly anything we get. If it doesn't sell, it goes to an "outlet" where it's sold by the pound, if it doesn't sell there it goes to a salvage yard where it's broken down for parts and pieces and recycled. The majority of customers we get are older people, very poor people, punks/hippies (like me), and people who turn profits. The other 2% of people we get are those who are stealing because they can't afford it, are on drugs and so out of their minds they don't know what they're doing, or stealing to sell it for more drugs. I restate, I am not upset about people turning a profit on thrift store items. As long as it sells, we take that money and put it back to helping people.

[@Bubblereeds]

The money earned goes to charity and the workers right? Or is that a charity shop? Or are they the same thing?

[@honeyyb]

It's not an issue of having enough clothes, its having enough clothes that people feel good wearing. Resellers buy up all the good stuff.

[@katarh]

Perhaps this is a sign that the manufacturers ought to make less "bad" stuff." I've seen five or six of the same hideous shirt on the racks with the tags still on, because no one wanted to buy the fugly things at the store, and no one wanted to buy them at the thrift store, either. Most thrift stores know not to waste valuable rack space with holy, moldy, dirty, gross looking clothes that no one will buy. But even the brand new stuff is often awful, and that's the fault of the manufacturers, not the thrift store.

[@starbug345]

@@katarhstill, just because some of the manufacturers aren’t being ethical in producing quality pieces, that doesn’t mean resellers have to be just as bad. Saying one person is doing bad things doesn’t take away the bad things you’re doing yourself to. It also doesn’t cancel out what resellers do. Think if everyone had that attitude. You think one person can’t have an impact but that’s not true. Think how many people have the excuse you just gave.

[@erinc5138]

If you are concerned about the ethics of thrifting, then thrift from a local nonprofit. I volunteer at a thrift store and *all* our profit goes right back into the local community. We also donate/get rid of all excess clothes at the end of every season, give vouchers to groups in need, and have standing discounts for students and elderly. So whether we help someone find clothes for cheaper or just make a sale to a reseller that is then given to the food bank it is all going to people in need. That's why you should shop local and know where money is going.

[@JadeSama]

We have a couple places like that where I live too!!! I was able to get things I needed at a financially unstable time in my life. And also donated things back to those places too! One place in particular would have fresh vegetables and fruit in bags out front, all donated by local farmers, free for families in need. Things they couldn't technically sell would be placed "outside" for pickup by a group who checked the items for safety and placed them in shelters or emergency housing. I'm in a much better place now but will be forever grateful for the local non profit groups and all the work they do!

[@skellymom]

THIS!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@kyscco24]

>>have standing discounts for students and the elderly What about for veterans? Although my father would technically qualify for the senior discount, I have many loved ones who are veterans and would not qualify for the senior discount yet

[@theheartofthestone]

Same if you can find a city owned thrift store it's going to be far less expensive than A LOT of other thrift stores AND it gets put right back into the community

[@missveronica8393]

Yes, this is what places like St Vincent de Paul's do, the money goes into helping the local community and people in need so it's good to shop from there to support that cause.

[@TheOwlQueen]

This is a great point that points out something people are missing, but I also think it's missing part of the problem. It's not that there's not enough clothes in the stores, it's that they take all of the BEST things. I used to be able to go into a thrift store and find some good things and now it's so hard to find something that works or is good quality. I think people who need to thrift deserve to find good items, too. They shouldn't have to settle for the resellers leftovers.

[@raedusoleil6375]

Thissssss right here

[@raedusoleil6375]

@@WickedJinx the entire premise of the video is discussing clothing that can be sold for a higher price, no? I.e. not fast fashion. The original commenter is pointing out that people searching thrift shops for higher quality clothing to turn and make a profit makes it so people who cannot afford higher quality clothes *still* will not have access to them.

[@WickedJinx]

@@raedusoleil6375 yes I’m not sure why you thought you needed to explain the premise of the video to me, that is obvious. I’m responding to this post where the person is talking about people coming in and taking the “best” clothes before them. I’m questioning whether how they know this to be the case, whether there were ever “better” clothes there at all, or are the stores now just full of cheap poor quality clothing

[@euryid8920]

​@@WickedJinx if their was no good clothing to begin with then how do resellers exist

[@mariella2884]

@@WickedJinx I think your comment absolutely shows you need to re-read what the person said. Yes they mention the video but are mostly discussing the original comment left. You might be correct in some areas but I can tell you first hand that no, the quality has not decreased for us. In fact more people are donating in my area than ever, yet more resellers are in store than ever. There IS a scarcity concern when it comes to quality clothing which might mean as simple as not wear/tear.

[@lupeeshalupeesha2741]

I work in social services. We USE TO be able to issue homeless families and anyone receiving our services vouchers to go to the thrift store to shop for job interview clothes, kids school clothes, baby items, and furniture. Not any more. The thrift store use to be an embarrassing place to shop because it meant you couldn't afford the mall meaning you were "poor" and now it's the cool place to be. Just keep in mind that it is another resource that has been gentrified and there are legit nonprofits that have gotten screwed because of its trendiness. And Yes they have a lot of unsold inventory in the stores and is it any wonder?? The prices have been driven up so badly it's ridiculous.

[@Air0Sparks]

So when I was homeless I needed clothes for interviews, I noticed a price hike. I was putting a bunch of stuff back and the gentleman asked me if something was wrong while I was counting to see if I had enough. We chatted and he helped me get some things together, making sure I looked the part. He lowered the price and gave me a tab to pay when I got my first paycheck. He explained to me how resellers had depleted the stock and that’s how they combatted the situation. This was about 12 years ago.

[@99leadpencils]

This sounds like more of an issue with your non-profit or the thrift store they were working with than thrifting getting more popular. These are donated clothes. They could still issue vouchers if they really wanted to.

[@lunawiggins8251]

As someone who was poor as a child this exactly, we had to shop at thrift stores our whole life , and the school would take us to places to get stuff needed for winter so because she doesn't see a problem doesn't mean it's not.

[@mariella2884]

@@Air0Sparks I sincerely hope you are in a safe and secure environment now. I am happy that gentleman helped you out but truly your story shows how this is a serious issue. This is a vital resource that resellers don't "need" and cannot understand "need" at all.

[@Kellyc888]

@@mariella2884 I don't think it's right to assume that the resellers are not in need themselves. It is perfectly plausible that the resellers who purchase from the thrift store could be in dire financial straits or potentially become homeless themselves without the income they generate from their business. Many choose this line of work because they cannot maintain a traditional job for a mirade of reasons including but not limited to; physical disability, mental health issues, inability to afford or find child care, etc. This is a more complex and nuanced issue than you're giving it credit for.

[@tinastaniscia9057]

I own a consignment/store in a small inner city. So many of my customers are on a fixed income and don't drive. I've become the go-to place for shopping. Once an item doesn't sell, I either donate the items to a friend who helps the homeless, or I send pieces out to For Days. I appreciate the company and it's transparency in what happens to clothing once they receive it.

[@TheSimArchitect]

Yes, because these days poor people don't even deserve good used stuff. Only leftover used stuff after other rich people get the first pickings LOL. If that's not capitalism, I don't know what is. 😆

[@saihla]

I hadn’t heard of For Days and just looked it up based on your comment. The take back bag looks like such a great system!

[@Taylor086]

People like you need to run for government offices, to make the city, state or country a better place

[@unacceptablesisterpeter3431]

​@@Taylor086 no we need to shrink government and allow welfare to be handled by local community groups and churches (who do 1000% more than any gov agency) If individuals take responsibility for their neighbours the world becomes better

[@MsVictory1945]

Yes, but I have been physically shoved at Goodwill by resellers who basically LIVE at the store and have really ruined shopping there for ordinary people. I don't begrudge them buying clothes to resell, but they are just bossy, mean and rude at my local stores!

[@PotatoesAreNeat]

Yes, you can literally watch them team up and take down the store isle by isle as it opens. They take anything that is branded and of common size. Which leaves only scraps for people who do not resell clothes and actually purchase them to wear them. The only reason why I can still thrift is because I can sew larger clothes to fit me. They don’t carry my (average) size at any thrift shops anymore because they buy them all.

[@heehoopeanut420]

​@@PotatoesAreNeat literally!!! and people will still sit here and argue with us (likely people who don't thrift or who are okay with wasting money on horrible quality clothing) and tell us it doesn't happen.

[@ceeemm172]

I think the time investment is being missed in a lot of these comments. If thrifting is your JOB you have a lot more time in the store and a lot more chances at, for instance, professional-looking work clothes.

[@dawnmillsap285]

That is a whole other issue. People who misbehave like that should be banned.

[@indicajane4721]

Thrift stores cost the same as Walmart now and it’s horrible

[@pinkpugginz]

right. goodwill charging 30$ for a 20 year old shirt

[@bruh8317]

​​@@pinkpugginz I saw someone selling 20 year old anime shirt for 800$ 💀

[@TriggaTreDay]

Girl I was about to say the same thing. When they go back down on their prices and start living in reality again, I will start back shopping there more often. It’s the resale market that’s making them go up on their prices though. It’s all just a mess if you ask me.

[@screamthroughdreams]

My issue is not that it is taking something away from people who need it but that the thrift stores know that people are re-selling for more and so have started increasing the prices of the items to begin with which would be affecting low income families.

[@OGimouse1]

​@@dirtytapwater1374 this is completely untrue. The 5 thrift stores near my parents' house have had "competitive" pricing because of the resellers. I went in there one time to get a new-to-me polo for work and it was 8 bucks. I went to Walmart and paid 9 without any of the weird crusty stuff on it.

[@annielynn8730]

@@OGimouse1 It’s almost like it cost them more to keep staff and the lights. Margins are high and the store is, if they still sold everything for a dollar or two they would be losing money just by staying open in most areas

[@starryeyedwish8005]

This!

[@TriggaTreDay]

Bingo!!!! You hit the nail right on the head. This is why I don’t shop there as much anymore. I’m not paying $8-10 on a 15-20 yr old shirt that was over used and smells dusty as hell. They have lost their minds.

[@TriggaTreDay]

@@OGimouse1 right! I even asked them have they lost their minds by charging almost retail prices for these free, overly used clothes…? They just said “well that’s our price”. Hey suit yourselves, I will no longer be shopping here. And I was a monthly customer they had lost.

[@drasco61084]

People who don't work in second hand don't understand the sheer absurd amount of stuff that the USA alone WASTES. Everything found in your home. Perfectly good furniture I see people throw it in the big truck size dumpsters at the citizen drop off stations because they probably already have their own nice house full of particle board painted grey and white and don't want dad's or grandma's "old junk" and it's just too much trouble to take it somewhere more appropriate. Even many of the chain thrift stores where I live I have heard have been rejecting things for some reason I'm not quite sure (lots of people dying and downsizing?) so yeah, people are given no place to take unwanted things other than the trash and it SUCKS. At our small store we try throwing away as little as possible, instead we pass it on. Stuff that hasn't been moving gets a third, fourth, fifth chance we put it out for free in boxes. And we have only had people that pick up the free stuff leave us a mess on the curb ONCE, maybe twice, in seven years and if the city EVER tells us something I will give them a piece of my mind. It helps the informal economy and the environment. There is not a shortage of affordable stuff for people who need it but there can at times in some ways be a distribution problem. The fact is not every item is some super special vintage thing that's going to get thrown on depop or eBay or resold in a high end store. Most of it is regular everyday stuff. There is a deeper sickness in our society that we can't blame on people just trying to find ANY way to make a living. People have made a living picking up people's junk off the side of the road for ages and going and selling it somewhere, yet there is still FREE junk on the side of the road all the time anyway and if people were as connected to the working class as they think they are they'd probably know that. This is nothing new and folks need to chill. It is not as cute as it looks on tik tok and lots of folks eventually get tired and go back to working at a computer or service industry or something for a more consistent check than buying and selling.

[@DragonLandlord]

You could do what my local thrift store does; once a month they have a dollar bag sale, everything you can fit in a regular paper grocery bag for a dollar. It allows those that really need the help to load up and a few people even do it for the toys, books, and kitchenware.

[@amethystdream8251]

Another thing that may be contributing to the problem: thrift stores only accepting clothes that are trendy, rather than clothes that are in good condition, just not currently in style. Trend cycles in general are counterproductive to sustainability

[@TheSimArchitect]

Their entire purpose is to be anti sustainability! You won't buy my new collection if I don't ridicule you for using items from the previous one!

[@AlicedeTerre]

I suppose that's why there's a whole spectrum of thrift and vintage stores from goodwills to the realreal

[@TheSimArchitect]

@@AlicedeTerre Yes. Free market is nice. Nothing against that. Rich people glamourizing used stuff. Not nice, in my opinion, of course.

[@klassycountryk]

Most thrift stores are a free for all. Anything in decent condition gets accepted and sold. Then there are resell shops that only take trendy stuff.

[@211teitake]

Even assuming your assumption is true, if it's in the business of selling items, they have every right to stock items that sell quicker.

[@skellymom]

Goodwill actually takes valuable items and sells them at their e-commerce store. They don't even make it onto the floor. So before we get upset at small owned businesses for taking the time to thrift a $5 item and sell it for $15 (boo to the ones that take a $5 one and sell it for $50+), let's hold corporations accountable for not even giving people access in the first place. Btw, shop your small mom and pop thrift shops if you can and don't forget garage sales too!

[@CARATMom]

You should do an entire episode about this. There was an Instagram mom who used to use thrift clothes to remake them for herself and daughters. Probably a handful of post a year. There were people who attacked her online accusing her buying up all the plus sized clothing. The mother actually was just using dresses that was sized 8-10 but she was bothered enough to stop showing her beautiful dresses. I think not enough people understand the sheer amount of waste in clothing manufacturing and that thrifting, reselling and consignments sales don’t make a dent in the surplus of clothes.

[@alorastewart7091]

I go thrifting weekly on sale tag changes to try and get decent clothes for my kids. I have literally watched items for weeks hoping they'd still be there when the price got to the point I could afford it just to be shoved out of the way by someone buying things to upsell. When you are living the part of losing something you needed for your kid....the amount of stuff in the store doesn't really matter. You just lost the one pair of shoes in their size that wasn't falling apart because the other person doesn't care that someone needed it they just want their money. I'm currently working on a business that will allow me to open my own discount clothing store and were going to offer free items to people truly in need (through shelters and public school counselors) and they will be allowed to come in and choose their items before opening to the general public so they won't miss out on nice things because of someone else trying to upsell.

[@samevans1289]

I get that a lot of clothes get thrown out because people aren't buying them, but the idea is that not all the clothes are in good condition, in appropriate size, or cute, and when people buy the cutest, most high quality clothes, not a lot of those remain for people who really couldn't afford them otherwise. Although thrifting becoming popular has quite a few benefits, it also meant that prices went way up at thrift stores, and I could no longer afford them.

[@barvdw]

Most charity shops are struggling more with lack of storage than with lack of customers or inventory. Even normal shops have a limited amount of space available, hence why they do seasonal sales, they need to make room for the new collection.

[@clavgirl]

What are "inappropriate" sizes for us poor people? Who gets to determine what is "cute" for my poor family? Why am I not capable of also buying the good stuff? Did they give the "flipper" special pricing? Do they get special shopping hours before me?Your comments are very insulting to us poor people. You don't need to be offended on our behalf.

[@samevans1289]

@@clavgirl I'm not offended on "your" behalf. I'm speaking for myself and my experience and my thoughts and opinions on the matter, and you can speak for yourself and your experience and thoughts and opinions on the matter. I didn't realize you or I were made to be the voice of all "poor people" and speak for all of them. When I say "appropriate sizes" I mean appropriate to your body size, so that it fits you properly. Where I'm from, "appropriate sizes" mean middle-range. I understand in other places, the opposite is true, but here, middle-sizes are bought quickly, and only really small and really big sizes remain, and that means no appropriate sizes for my size remain. When I say "cute" clothes, I mean clothes that are either in modern styles enough and/or in good-enough condition that they don't make the people at work or any other person I'm interacting with treat me poorly because of how I present myself. When I said "they couldn't afford it otherwise", I meant it as simple as that. I couldn't buy a nice dress for an event like a family member's wedding new, I couldn't buy nice-looking clothes for work new, and before prices went up because of the increased popularity-and therefore demand-of thrift stores, I could buy at least 3 nice T-shirts for what is now the price of one, and I could afford to buy a bag-full of items from the thrift store, all for the price of one new. And no, they don't get "special hours", at least not any more special than all the other people who don't work/work afternoons, who get to the store early in the morning and get all the "cute" clothing in "appropriate"-to-them sizes before I even started my shift. That's how it works-all the new, best stuff gets cleaned out in the first few hours after being displayed for the first time.

[@clavgirl]

@Sam Evans I think I understand your point of view and I thank you for sharing it. There's some assumptions about why the thrift stores are raising the prices. You say it's because too many others are shopping which shifts supply and demand. Could be. Others in this thread who woek at thrift stores seem to say the opposite: they don't have ENOUGH shoppers. So to pay overhead they raise prices. Mass theft in California stores has been a huge contributor to increased prices and even caused dozens of thrift stores in my area to close. I understand how hard it can be to get to the thrift store after work. My favorite place puts out all the new stuff on Sundays and I can't go until Monday evening at the earliest. But there are still good finds. It's the victim mentality that bugs me the most, probably. In CA I'm constantly being told how I'm a victim or oppressed so I should get special treatment...or not ENOUGH of a victim or not oppressed enough. We're all trying to make it and I'm not going to begrudge others who have found a way to survive or thrive.

[@joanbaczek2575]

90% of the inventory was stained ripped holes stench or hideous no wonder so much gets tossed

[@anyawillowfan]

I'm in the UK and the main issue I have is with people going to charity shops and buying the already very limited plus size clothes to sell at a profit on ebay. Yes, it means I now have access to more choices from around the country, but at an extra cost, plus postage (also means extra petrol and packaging and so on regarding ethics).

[@user-jv5pp8pv9l]

Personally, the problem I have with thrift stores is the ungodly prices they smack on things. Unless you're buying the sale color of the day, the prices do not match their used status. Especially if you're an experienced sale shopper or are fine with stores like Ross and TJ Maxx. I am not paying the same price for something USED that I could find new at a bargain store or on sale. Heck, no. Bring back bargain prices at thrift stores and then perhaps I'd shop there..

[@lurkinlikeaboss]

Because prices are being jacked up by resellers, companies see what they're doing and figured theyd get a piece of the pie too but now the people that depended on that affordability are out in the cold

[@LMPM0909]

I was shocked the last time I went to GW at the insane prices. In most cases it was less expensive to buy something new! Old dirty kitchen appliances and worn out stained shoes. It was awful!

[@grandtrinesong5949]

The major problem is that people who shop at thrift store deserve nice, quality, affordable stuff… the stuff that winds up in landfills from thrift store is the stuff that is worn out and destroyed, and the stuff from consignment stores that wind up unsold is stuff that’s not worth the marked up price… let us poor people have the nice donated clothes because it helps us get out of poverty… you can’t even imagine, clearly.

[@clavgirl]

From one poor person to another, what is preventing you from buying the "good" clothes before the "flipper" does? I've always been able to find fashionable clothing for our kids at thrift stores. Sometimes it took a lot of digging or getting to the store early to be first in line. But these arguments just don't make sense to me.

[@ToyAddict]

I was raised in poverty, shipped in thrift store my entire life. Then I started reselling and got myself out of poverty. You can too.

[@franciscaromeroblanco3422]

I'm from Chile and we have one of the biggest clothes landfills and it's not worn clothes, somethimes it's new clothes with the tag on

[@JC-bs5pd]

You’re so condescending bc she doesn’t share your opinion. Jesus Christ, self reflect

[@sarag1158]

there is an abundance of great clothing at the thrift store! I will continue shopping at the thrift store even though I no longer have to anymore. I have never, ever not been able to find something nice at Goodwill or the local SPCA thrift store. 30 years ago, amd now. as a matter of fact, I find more great stuff now because fashion is so fast.

[@Kellyc888]

I once got berated by a colleague when I told her that I got the pair of boots, that she complemented my on, at goodwill. She said that it was "unfair" for me to buy things at a thrift store when I "obliviously can afford to buy them new"... What???

[@epowell4211]

Did you tell them you have the money to buy new because you're smart enough not to when you can?

[@AlyciaBencloski]

Thank you for buying something at a Human Services Agency that uses thrift stores for fundraising. Because of people like you, we can afford to help others.

[@andromedaspark2241]

​@@AlyciaBencloski Goodwill is a for profit company. The people who run regional Goodwill and the corporate executives make over $700,000 annually while paying workers less than minimum wage through a loophole in the Fair Labor Standards Act. It's not what you think. All this is easily confirmed online .

[@shaolinqueen3684]

People need to mind their business

[@cristiewentz8586]

What happened to "reduce, reuse, recycle"? I think the only new clothes I buy are underwear and socks.

[@Alenasup]

Yep not an issue of people taking all the stock but its an issue that the thrift store stuff is priced too high for some low income people

[@MsVictory1945]

Absolutely! GW watches the videos of resellers bragging about all the great stuff they got to resell so thrift stores are now punishing regular shoppers by selling junk (sometimes new) for ridiculous prices!

[@Alenasup]

@@MsVictory1945 yep i have no problem with any buyers of thrift goods i dint blame the buyers for the choices the store made. Im thinking of value villages in Toronto. Some thrifts are still cheap but some are gouging people for what they got for free.

[@vanessap7393]

@@Alenasup I went to Value Village once and bought a candle holder for $4.99, didn't notice the $3 dollarama sticker that was on it SMH!

[@Alenasup]

@@vanessap7393 i forgot about the pricing of used dollarama items being more expensive than new 💀 vv is so cringe. I have definitely seen the dollar store bowls and vases there

[@PLC2348]

@@MsVictory1945 And as a company serving a purpose I.e : disabled adults, low income communities, animal shelters, whatever their mission may be, why do they not have a right to increase their prices? (Or at least price competitively) They are not a government entity that has a responsibility to serve a certain population no matter what deficit that puts them in. I run a local, volunteer based, non-profit thrift store that donates all proceeds to a local, volunteer based, senior dog rescue. We have a right to price high quality items at competitive resale value if that is what they will sell at. We do not have to limit our nonprofit activities to satisfy a small group of people. The variety of people who walk through our door everyday is LARGE. We price our items fairly in hopes of attracting as many people as possible to serve our cause but, to be frank, the amount of shade thrown at thrift stores is astounding. We are serving a purpose, as well. This sense of private businesses being responsible for every single person’s struggles is exhausting as a business owner. We have a mission we are working towards, as well. But I can tell you the majority of people who complain to us about pricing come in with brand new cars, an address in the top 10% cost of living areas of our city, Starbucks, and maxed out credit cards and then tell us they can’t afford lululemon at $7.50 a piece (or try to pay with government assistance programs and berate our staff for not accepting illegal payment). Frankly it sounds like a lot of people need a lifestyle adjustment rather than to be attacking thrift stores for their practices. It’s a private business not a government service. We will continue to price our used items fairly and on the off chance that a VERY generous donor gives us brand new items that are of high quality, you bet we will price those competitively so we can raise extra money to provide life saving medical services to senior dogs in need. (End Rant) Widen your lens people.

[@anonalienn]

yeah clothes go to the landfill either way, thats a different conversation. the point is 10-15 yrs ago if you were broke or homeless you could go thrift for interview clothes and get a decent outfit together. now resellers have gotten the prices marked up so high youre basically just shopping a normal discount section...which we would have done in other stores if we could afford it. yall doing this for profit or because its "trendy" to thrift now is absolutely hurting the people that the thrift stores were meant to assist. i say all this as someone who grew up homeless in and out of shelters and i know the prices (even with inflation) are not what they used to be. used to theyd send us to thrift with vouchers/coupons, not anymore. its too expensive edit: also, saying that you used to work at a high end consignment store that resold thrifted items for profit doesnt help your argument...it just shows you'd long ago justified the concept to yourself. i think youre the one out of touch with reality if we're being honest...maybe do some volunteer work or something? reconnect with your community ? edit2: also also, its not just clothes, its everything. dressers, cabinets, kitchen appliances, suitcases and bags, kids toys, electronics, tools...god forbid you be poor nowadays and need something or just want something to make your life slightly easier and you dedicate a day to thrift shopping thinking you might can find it good quality for cheap. might as well save the bus money getting there cos youd be better off waiting however many months it takes to save to buy what you want new

[@kahldrialeighsun1208]

Reselling has definitely ruined thrift stores for me as a poor person. I used to be able to buy a jacket or get household items that I could not afford elsewhere. Now it's extremely rare that it isn't picked over or worse the prices are absolutely absurd because they know people buying it can afford it, it's not personal use it's a business decision. The people donating stuff think they are helping people like me but they're not. This is my lived experience. I am a real person. Please keep that in mind if you reply to me.

[@Alanubian]

I agree with you. Just because you can't afford to pay $75 for a new pair of Levi's jeans does not mean you don't deserve to have access to a donated pair selling for $7. Its a challenge thrifting these days because more people are not shopping for personal use. "Its my bizness!"

[@lurkinlikeaboss]

​@@Alanubian and then have the nerve to tell the people that rely on these stores, well you could just resell stuff too nothing's stopping you. Tone deaf asf

[@ShutupandListen]

The lies😂

[@sarahnelson8836]

Yeah it’s almost as if we create too many clothes that don’t last or something 👀

[@2Blessed]

As a low-income person myself, I have to respectfully disagree though. In my area, thrifting has become HUGE. The stores have doubled their prices since 2020, and even when I can find things in my size, I often still can't afford them. I was literally in a thrift store just today, and a woman was camped out in front of the plus-size clothing rack (yep, only one!) so I could not even look through any of the items. She herself was not plus-size, and she had a cart filled to overflowing, so she was pretty obviously a reseller. I stood next to the rack for close to twenty minutes, and she never once even moved over a little bit to let me look also as she gabbed on her phone while flipping through the items. I eventually left empty-handed since the store was about to close. This is not an isolated incident, I see it nearly every time I visit a thrift store, It is a real problem for people like me!

[@Voodoofairy88]

I use to work at Good Will & can confirm that roughly 80% of donations go straight to the dumpster. What gets put out is really based on the "tastes" of the individual shop managers. Our particular manager if you were a POC making the donation, elderly, plus sized or too thin, look like you actually work for a living...then it went straight in the garbage....6 dumpsters inside (so the houseless can't get too the things thrown out) pick up 3 times a day because that's how often they get filled.

[@dangernoodle9961]

the thing is, resellers have created a market where stores like st Vincent now have a marked up section where the best items are $15+ when in the past everything was a flat rate.

[@malorierenee]

Shouldn't that fall on the store? Why if they're now getting more business are they raising prices? Because those stores don't care about helping people but instead making money. The store itself is responsible for the mark up, not resellers

[@hummingmostbird]

My main issues is with people that flip plus-sized clothing. Very few GOOD pieces of plus sized clothing get donated, and if someone is buying the one nice 4xl shirt to chop up into an xs dress when there's way more of those smaller pieces available in the first place, that's kinda rude.

[@clavgirl]

No one owes you plus-size clothing. I'm plus-sized and it is harder to find my size. But that's the case AT EVERY FASHION STORE. They bigger clothes aren't always as cute and they never make enough. So the amount to get donated is limited. Most people that cut up and remake larger sizes are actually using sizes Medium, and Large. That's what they show on their videos because those women are tiny.

[@Sandrica011BG]

They do it on purpose so people wearing bigger size don't have nice things. They find pleasure in that, just look at how they describe buying bug sizes. Of course they know these sizes are rare, as they search for them they see that. They care only about themselves.

[@seganaleqa]

As a bigger person myself, and someone that loves thrifting, I personally completely disagree with you. If someone wants to repurpose something they like into their own size, go for it. If I had the skills to remake clothes, you can bet your bottom that I’d be buying those cute XS clothes to repurpose into larger clothing.

[@davea136]

Yeah. That NEVER HAPPENS. Stop creating drama because your life is empty. Go take an adult education class or start painting or SOMETHING.

[@tomcat5151]

​@@clavgirl it's not about something being "owed"

[@OofusTwillip]

My only issue is with thin people who selfishly buy plus-sized garments in thrift stores, then remake them to fit themselves. Thrift stores have far fewer plus-sized clothes than regular-sized clothes. Plus-sized people need those clothes. Thin people buying and remaking those few plus-sized clothes is like non-diabetic people buying Ozempic, to lose weight. Their vanity is depriving some people of an essential.

[@hanaj]

Facts! They used to send them to Africa by the ton until countries banned it. It was ruining their home grown economy.

[@Alenasup]

So sad for all poor people around the world. Especially the global south

[@TheSimArchitect]

I saw a documentary. Most of the items sent were garbage and not good to sell even there. I agree with Chelsea there were always the "consignment store" situation but things are now much worse and the threshold is much lower for what's fashionable even for wealthy people to buy second hand when the politically correct thing for them to do should be to move the economy, generate wealth for salespeople and the entire industry, create a pile of perfectly good barely used high quality items for the poorest to buy affordably. I may be wrong, but that's my perspective.

[@lococomrade3488]

​@The Sim Architect Yeahhhh, I don't think that's the "politically correct" thing to do... Unless you're a Fascist and your only concern is the Economy and helping Corporations make profit.

[@TheSimArchitect]

@@lococomrade3488 Sorry they brain washed you into believing that.

[@Air0Sparks]

Insider has a great video about this.

[@HippieHealing]

The problem with in thrift store is the same problem with clothing in general, fast fashion. If the clothes in the thrift store are mostly cheap and falling apart no one will buy them and it’s harder to find the good clothes in packed racks of crap clothes. The resellers are picking out the good clothes and that can end up stripping thrift store of any good options for low income people, even if the store is still filled with clothes.

[@BliffleSplick]

For average people, yes, totally not a scarcity issue just a distribution one However when someone's a size outside of the mainstream and average people are buying the rare big sizes to downsize into something they could have gone one aisle over for, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.

[@8rainbowcaterpillar]

There are ~enough people buying things~ at the start of clothings' life cycle in abundance from fast fashion. Not enough people buying less new and taking the same demand to second hand options. Consume less, reduce demand, harm capitalism, harm less people

[@AlicedeTerre]

I have so many thoughts about this subject and there's so many intersecting issues. I can understand someone from a personal level about the frustration about a resource that was once affordable that is no longer, but I also can't help but think about the overall decline in respect we have towards our things and entitlement people across the spectrum feel to cheap clothes whether new or old (I'm not immune from this either). We need more options like clothing swaps, donation events, buy nothing groups, repair fairs for low income people to still have access, because as you mentioned there's a SHIT TON of waste. Those clothes will go to polluting the environment of people much poorer than the ones being impacted by rising thrift store prices and ultimately reach our shores in forms of microplastics and extreme weather events. I feel kinda frustrated by the discourse around the gatekeeping of thrifting because I feel like the solutions offered by those on that side ultimately feels like a return to the status quo.

[@afreaknamedallie1707]

It's not gatekeeping of thrifting as much as protecting a resource for poor people. The people I see entitled are the resellers who feel entitled to take all the cheap but valuable items and then demand multiple times what they paid for it in profits per item.

[@alim.9801]

​@@afreaknamedallie1707 I feel the same way

[@JessMakingArt]

I agree. I’m biased though, as I am a committed secondhand shopper. I don’t resell but I don’t feel particularly mad at resellers, because I’ve seen documentaries showing what happens with our exported clothing. It ends up in giant dumps in other countries. And this trend is not slowing down with the onslaught of fast fashion…which people also argue is necessary for low income families. If I can buy used, at least I can do something. I have noticed prices going up, but honestly I don’t know if that’s because of resellers or because of inflation across the board. I’m not an economist or particularly well versed in this. So…yeah for me I think in America the amount of waste seems to suggest we don’t value our clothing. We buy too much and toss it as soon as it goes out of style. I like buying secondhand because I can save a few things here and there and limit my own consumption.

[@ToyAddict]

@@afreaknamedallie1707 1. Who says resellers aren't poor people just trying to take themselves up out of poverty by using the resources available to them? 2. A thrift store is a business. I've never come across a thrift store that has a mission of providing cheap stuff to poor people. The mission of Goodwill is to help provide jobs to people with barriers to employment. The way they do that is to sell as much as they can at the highest price they can, to make money to further their cause. Providing cheaper items to the poor is a nice side effect, but not the goal. 3. Resellers don't DEMAND high profits. Buyers set the price. When a reseller is determining what to sell an item for, they look at the prices items have already sold for. Which means the price someone else was willing to pay. Most resellers set their prices somewhere below that, hoping to sell their items more quickly. 4. If you think you have a right to something, that is available to everyone, over someone else, you are the one acting entitled. Thrift stores are open to everyone, and you have the same opportunity as a reseller to find good items. If they find them, good for them. If you find them, good for you.

[@adrianghandtchi1562]

I agree it’s still tricky, and it is quite murky with the ethics of things. Everyone has the individual rights to do what they want with what they purchase. But not quite if it harms themselves or others, themselves, which here includes the environment that they live in.

[@kismetcaffet9862]

Not all thrift stores have the luxury of waste...some of the smaller thrift stores in my area are struggling to meet the needs of their target demographic because all they are left with is fast fashion options after the resellers tear through at opening.

[@missmarymary6506]

.first just do not put all the good new merch out at opening..let the resellers come in and see that the pickings are slim they will eventually stop flocking . Then put out the better stuff when your regular guests who are actually Wearing the clothes come in... There Is a trade off though..resellers spend a lot of money.whay is your end goal as a shop owner..to take a cut in profit to provide for the guests in need or to let resellers spend more providing more cash to the charity shop to help those on need..

[@Slowpokester]

Tell me youve never been plus sized or living in a smaller town without sayin that

[@jessieliseem8182]

They are also charging more at thrift stores now because it’s more popular to shop there. This is making it unaffordable for the people it’s supposed to help. Yes a lot goes to landfill but I think there is a missed point in this video and that is the point of charity shops and thrift stores. It’s supposed to provide advantage and opportunity for individuals who do not have opportunities and money.

[@ToyAddict]

That is not the main goal of any thrift store I've ever shopped at. I've never come across a thrift store that has a mission of providing cheap stuff to poor people. The mission of Goodwill is to help provide jobs to people with barriers to employment. The way they do that is to sell as much as they can at the highest price they can, to make money to further their cause. Providing cheaper items to the poor is a nice side effect, but not the goal.

[@lurkinlikeaboss]

​@@ToyAddict that's not what it used to be, they used to have community involvement and salvation army would help people find work uniforms. Social services would help people with vouchers for clothing necessities. All of that is gone now

[@MsFeline81]

Well we can agree to disagree. What I really think is unethical is to specifically buy bigger clothing in order to alter it to a thin body and selling the sewing pattern. This is not only taking away affordable clothing from people in larger bodies who have difficulties finding clothes, that fit in brick and mortal stores to begin with, but taking away an affordable option too. Also, and I'm sure you Lindsay know the finances of this way better than me, buying items of clothing compared to fabric is more expensive if you do the math. With clothing you always lose fabric due to the cut or design. So even if you strike a bargain on let's say a big dress, that you than turn into a cute little halter top and skirt, you end up throwing away more fabric than if you had bought plain fabric to begin with. This whole thrift flip culture especially with bigger clothing is not only unethical but also financially unwise.

[@rebeccula1899]

It's mainly the gentrification of thrifting that is the largest issue here. Prices are hiked up on higher quality items because of it. A pair of jeans that would have been $5 at Goodwill ten years ago would cost $30 today, and while someone with a steady income can look at that $30 pair of jeans and justify the price, someone with a lower income cannot. Thrift stores used to be where lower income people could go to find clothing and other items without breaking the bank. That's rarely the case anymore.

[@___.51]

Goodwill is a bad example, they’re a thrift store in inventory only. Their business model is different from a Salvation Army or flea market.

[@rebeccula1899]

@@___.51 It's still a secondhand store that has increased its pricing since thrifting has risen in popularity.

[@lurkinlikeaboss]

​@@___.51 A lot of places dont have a salvation army outlet anymore and a goodwill is the only option as theyve pushed mom and pop shops out, people don't want to hear it but this does affect low income people.

[@medicinemouse7647]

I'm guessing this is like a food desert issue where in some areas of the country this doesn't affect people cause of the sheer volume and thrift store options but in smaller areas it's decimating the thrifting options

[@MadameWesker]

As someone who grew up poor, thrift stores were the only place to get clothes. Even thrift stores are too expensive for poor people now because of resellers

[@lurkinlikeaboss]

Worst part was getting teased for getting thrift store clothes only to see the same people who did the teasing working as an upseller now 🤦‍♀️

[@madkatt333]

It's not just clothes. It's furniture and other goods we need.

[@billyo3915]

I used to resell, it is something I still choose to do sometimes when I’m unemployed. It’s not just a hobby, it was literally a way for me to make my own income when I was struggling to pay rent. I resold online and in a vintage store. Some people want to buy second hand-clothing but they don’t have time to trawl through charity shops, or maybe they don’t have the eye to find something good quality. Sometimes I’d volunteer in the charity shops too. I’d never take “the good stuff”, I’d buy the things I would wear and sometimes they’d resell, and sometimes they wouldn’t so I’d get to keep them. I am a 6ft3 guy so I was generally always selling menswear that was M or L. Also, sometimes when I volunteered at a particular charity shop, we’d set aside certain items for regular shoppers if we thought they might like it. We never assumed anyone’s financial life, so we treated all customers equally. Sometimes we could recognise someone was homeless and we had marked-down winter boots and jackets in the back too. We always had way more donated items than shop floor space so it was already a curated selection by the time customers saw it anyway. And many charity shops refuse donations when they exceed space in the back rooms. So speaking as a former reseller AND charity shop worker, anyone who compares it to being a landlord is someone who has never actually given time to volunteer in such a shop and probably never shopped there too. That, or they just don’t have a good eye for finding something quality. A lot of people who complain about how there’s nothing good in charity shops just don’t actually have the ability to find good items. It’s not a universal skill. You have to be able to recognise age, quality, different types of damage, materials, and potential to fit in with a modern wardrobe. What would it be used for? Is it casual everyday wear or a statement piece? Some people don’t know how to think like that, so when they go charity shopping they’re always disappointed, and stopping resellers won’t fix their poor quality assessment and discernment skills.

[@ducttapething34]

This^^^^^ I find amazing things in thrift stores all the time but you have to know what to look for.

[@emilyweible3623]

Thank you for pointing out the skill and knowledge that resellers have!

[@LamiaVeneficus]

Yeah and now thrift stores are starting to raise the prices, especially on higher end stuff. Some thrift stores I can't even shop at because they are too expensive. If I wouldn't spend $20 on it new, why would I spend that on a used item you got for free! I went to one store, they had a painting for $1000 dollars!

[@beccadotelpy]

A lot of stuff that ends up in landfills never gets on shelves/racks, etc. It gets donated, deemed not resell worthy and trashed. I know this b/c I did this work at a previous job b/c a lot of donated clothing is trash. It's stained, it stinks, it's torn, moldy, whatever. So in taking the "good" clothes that made it to shelves and reselling does mean that clothing is taken from thrift store customers.

[@vaneyjane]

I would also mention that the prices in thrift stores have been increasing dramatically from all of this "trendy thrifting". So basically, I can barely afford the garbage clothes because the brands are getting bought up at premium prices. Thanks but I would rather shop at Costco for clothing now instead of paying 25$ for a heavily used pair of jeans.

[@sistakia33]

I can't afford thrift store prices! However I can go to Walmart and get an entire outfit for what the thrift stores charge for a single item.

[@Air0Sparks]

I have loads of experience with this topic crafter, formerly homeless for three years and being raised in a food bank. It’s not this simple (not even the waste part)and I love that people are questioning this. If you feel some sort of way about it I beg you to call your local places including churches, homeless shelters and food banks talk to them. They all need drivers to get people to items they need or delivery of items to those in need. I also want to point out other trends; opening an eBay store, shabby chic, the interior design conundrum of trash walls(whatever they were called) and MTV. All this and yet these donation centers are still there and the trends are not. The conversation is still the same tho. Also Hi Chelsea!

[@ViolentAurora]

👍👍👍

[@doodle_bug5707]

The clothing items that were bought from thrift stores and marked up probably ended up being thrown out because the price wasn’t reasonable anymore…

[@NoirRaven]

This is also why they're not bringing back change rooms; because it's a lot more profitable to force people to buy clothes that might fit, than it is to let them see if they do and pay an employee to put it back

[@alim.9801]

It's their life but reselling like that will never not rub me the wrong way. Leave some nice stuff for the poor folks man

[@ToyAddict]

The poor folks have the same opportunity to thrift as the resellers. Many resellers started off as poor folks who recognized that there were so many good things to find that they could sell and bring themselves out of poverty. There is enough trash out there for everyone.

[@lurkinlikeaboss]

​@@ToyAddict exactly y'all are leaving trash for everyone lol

[@Izzy-cp8yt]

There are two flaws to this, though. 1. The stuff that's left after the resellers sweep through is going to landfills because it's either not to anyone's taste or not what most people need. Once the designer stuff is bought and resold, you're left with the slightly stained novelty and vacation t-shirts, the garish prints from aunt Kristy's high school days, and the random prom and wedding dresses. Very few people are going to benefit from that. 2) you proved your own point with consignment shops - you sold stuff *at a mark up*. The people who would have potentially bought it at the thrift store now can't afford it, and the people who want to make money off of it won't get the return you want. It's not that's there's too much clothing, it's that there's very little that's actually nice in thrift stores, and Karen wants to resell that Juicy top and blazer to make $20+ on a $5 shirt, even though there are high school kids living in poverty who just want a few nice things to feel less weird and ostracized and poor adults trying to build a business wardrobe on $10 so they can hopefully get a higher paying job and get out of poverty.

[@GymGirl88]

Adding in here. That it can be unethical to use sheets from a thrift store for fabric, IF there are very few sheets available. Similar for plus size stores. Just think about what's available while you shop. I love thrifting. I bought a gorgeous fur coat to fix up. And I will always treasure her

[@princessdyn]

I bought half of my corporate wardrobe (Wall Street bank so you can see the level of formality) from the Upper East Side Goodwill. I got Armani suits, Stuart Weizmann heels, Burberry scarves, Dior shirts etc to fit in while colleagues were decked out! To judge how cash-strapped I was before the job, I ate rice every day while waiting for my first paycheck. Being thrifty helped me pay down my student debt in 3 years. I'm an extremely good thrift shopper and I could have bought to resell. I won't judge the people who do that as their side or main hustle. The clothes are there for everyone to buy. If the branded clothes are no longer there by the time I get there, oh well. I actually get more excited to find vintage items from unknown brands because the quality is often superb. Depends on what you value.

[@afreaknamedallie1707]

The vintage stuff is also gone now. Literally all resellers leave now is shein and forever 21.

[@Alanubian]

What would have been your option if those items had found were not there? More rice and a longer time to pay back your student loans? Looking cheap or out of place at work? An impact on not being able to displace other bills because more money went to clothes? Poorer quality therefore frequent replacement at a higher cost?

[@cw3086]

My mom loves thrifting because she can find things in her size. I hate thrifting because I never can. Taking common sizes of clothing out of thrift stores to sell at a higher price is preventing someone from finding affordable clothes. The argument that less common sizes end up in landfills is missing the point

[@huntermauceri8692]

There’s currently a lack of furniture at thrift stores in Australia because of stuff like this

[@janaross]

Thank you! This is especially true of reselling from the Goodwill bins/outlet stores, which are literally the last stop before clothes get trashed/destroyed.

[@DelphineDenton]

Goodwill is also sketch.

[@sharonfleshman6961]

Goodwill has its issues but look into everything they do before damning them. They run a lot of job services beyond the thrift store. I took about two weeks' worth of classes in Office programs to get refresh my computer skills. If I needed it, there were times when the computer was available for practice and someone available for questions. I could have had someone review my resume and gone to their job fairs as well.

[@makaylaserniotti1474]

Yeah I learned this the hard way when my friend showed me her reselling business. She saves so many good pieces from going to waste and she can keep a roof over her head. The average reseller isn’t exploiting people on DePop, I promise. 😅

[@violetviviana]

Not a big fan of the high-end consignment store argument. In that scenario, a reseller is buying a thrift item for the purpose of flipping it. If the markup is so high that the demand isnt there anymore/no one buys it, then they're actively contributing to the problem of waste when it gets thrown out for not selling a second time. If it was good enough for a reseller to see its value at a markup, then it was most likely good enough for someone to take it home with them. But after ending up in a consignment store, the item instead ended up in a landfill.

[@heidi3963]

You bought clothing from a thrift store and then charged WAY too much for it so it didn't sell. The fact that those pieces "ended up in a landfill" is directly attributable to the stupid consignment shop.

[@pinkglasses52]

Thrift store clothes are expensive! If anyone is "taking the clothes away from 'poor' people" it would be the stores themselves.

[@Puffcroc]

The stuff at the consignments store that you worked at was going to waste because you were buying things for cheap and then reselling them for more expensive and most people won't go to consignment stores because they know how much more expensive the items are listed for then what you actually paid for them and people don't want to pay it

[@MizFrost]

When it comes to straight sizes I would agree. However, plus sizes?? As a plus sized person it's pretty galling after going to several thrift stores only to find no clothes and then see someone on KZbin turn something plus sized and cute into something they'll wear for a shoot and then toss.

[@afreaknamedallie1707]

To reiterate other people: resellers strip mine thrift stores for nicer things, but some times even banal stuff? Like jean jackets now, a personal fucking annoyance of mine that resellers have bought all the jean jackets and are selling them at new prices. As someone who's had to only buy work clothes from thrift stores because I do outdoor work that just obliterates clothes, the resellers have taken all the higher quality pants, jeans, and coats specifically so people who have to stay at low price points either have no choices at all or have to turn to fast fashion repeatedly through the year for the same items.

[@eaf538]

It’s a delicate balance but some thrift stores are literally pricing empty pickle jars (missing lids) for more than it costs to buy a full, new jaw of those pickles?!? it is truly not affordable anymore and also just confusing.

[@fathomgathergood7690]

It makes me mad that thrift shops have become so expensive I can't shop there any more

[@TheSimArchitect]

Really? So, don't those professional shoppers take the best items (and pump the prices of them for everybody, including themselves) due to increase demand, while leaving mostly crappy stuff affordable? I remember thrifting was much more affordable before (for good items) than after the trend started. You could surely find lots of items, most of which end up in a bin because they might be already too worn out or incompatible with someone that's poor and needs to look presentable at work (or when trying to get a job). The problem with this, I believe (could be wrong) is that good items are usually the top 0.1% of what goes to thrift stores. When you have enough interest, those items become more expensive as people don't say "this color is not trendy" anymore and will grab everything they can. Maybe in the United States things are better, but my last few times in Canada and, later on, here in Europe, were rough. Instead of paying 10% of the new item, you get to save 30% if you are lucky to find anything in your size that doesn't scream the fact it's something you bought old cheaply to save money. I am talking about stained items, clothes with rough edges and fabric etc. A circular economy can be a good thing, but in the end I was priced out of thrifting and went back to fast fashion because it was cheaper, easier and society treats me better when I have something new from C & A than when I wear anything "vintage". I am not dumping my clothes. They fit, they fulfil their need, I work remotely so nobody cares how I look. Otherwise, I'd be in a difficult situation. Many companies WILL fire you if you don't "look acceptable". Yes, they will accept your tattoos and piercings because they're "inclusive" but they will say you are being cheap and lazy if you present yourself with (not so) perfectly good 90's clothing. Remember your reality is different than the one lived by the majority of people. Mine too, I see myself as a privileged person. Sorry. 😬

[@lunawiggins8251]

This, you have it completely right even in America it's like this.

[@TheSimArchitect]

@@lunawiggins8251 That's a shame. It used to be a good way to get good items for very low prices. We only live once. It makes no sense for rich people to be cheap and use old items when they can afford new without batting an eyelash. Shame on them for being stingy and using the environment as an excuse.

[@nicelydone4846]

The people who spent their time, used transportation, and creativity to display that thrifted item is a service. I've never met anyone who had that opinion, but if i did, I'd explain that this is helpful to everyone! The item isn't in a landfill. The thrift store receives business. The person who saw the thrifted item online and purchased it receives an item they want. The service provided is a job. We pay people to shop for us, for example insta cart. That person is doing something we didnt or dont want to do for ourselves. Thats a service! In the case of thrifting and reselling, the seller is a treasure hunter! That takes time, knowledge, creativity, and vision. Most people that do this also clean and mend the item. If they didn't resell it, it'd be left dirty/broken in a thrift store. At the same time, more and more items are coming through the door.

[@jessicathespy]

The only time I saw it as being unethical is a funriniture flipper said they got an item from a friend who got it from a buy nothing group and it was flipped and sold for a profit, those groups are for the needy, the person who did that should have been banned from that buy nothing group and hopefully they have since. Other than cases like that preserving and upgrading used items I think is great, especially when so many go to the landfill

[@kail9036]

I think the problem are the people thrifting clothes for extremely cheap, and then selling them at an absurd price. Like buying a top for $10, then immediately listing it online for $60. That gets rid of accessible clothing. And I don't mean they fundamentally change the top, they just buy it and list it online because they see a $50 profit. Like yea, get your bag, but you also gotta be mindful of what you're doing in the process and many people just aren't, they just see a price tag and nothing else

[@hypovisor]

I thought the issue wasn't that influencers were taking ALL the clothes from poor people but that they were taking the BEST clothes from poor people. If Whole Foods donated leftover fruit and veggies to a food bank and then influencers went to the food bank and snatched up all the high quality leftovers there is still enough food for the poor people it's just worse quality. Might not be a perfect analogy and I'm happy to be wrong on this. It just sorta seems like rich people encroaching on an unofficial poor people space. Like a trust fund kid taking subsidized housing or food stamps even if it doesn't prevent others from doing so

[@TheSimArchitect]

That's exactly how I feel and that's my personal experience for the past (almost) 20 years visiting thrift stores as a not privileged (but also not ultra poor) person. We used to get 10 dollar leather jackets with tags before, now you can't even find them at Value Village, or they are very worn out and expensive. Nowadays it's sometimes cheaper to buy fast fashion because you pay the same for something that's considered "presentable" at work. Same thing with house items, it's sometimes cheaper to buy them new from the dollar store. I don't even bother (here in Europe, maybe Canada is still ok for household items).

[@carlosfgarciasepulveda5927]

Yes! Exactly this. Also, people are missing why they’re comparing this to land lording. It gives off the same vibes! Just like sneaker reselling and concert ticket scalpers. Very little value is added, supply is hard to come by (for the nicer pieces), and therefore if you have the means to buy a lot of supply at once you can insert yourself as a middleman. A middleman barely anyone asked for. And a middleman that claims to solve problems that their own existence created. “These sneakers are hard to come by therefore they’re marked up $100 over msrp!” Of course they’re hard to come by! You and fifty other people bought 20 pairs each with the intention of re-selling them at markup! Same applies to land lords and the housing market, and to resellers sweeping thrift stores dry.

[@OGimouse1]

I kind of want to throw my towel in the ring here. Consignment stores taking things from thrift stores raises the cost of the items, meaning the people who could afford them at thrift prices are not going to go looking for them. The consignment stores where I live basically are non-negotiable in pricing in most cases, and it's barely a 10% discount on the pieces. So, they're taking the pieces away from where the people who are looking for them, and selling them at prices someone who can afford them would rather buy new and way out of the range of people who depend on thrift. Yes, consignment and reselling are legitimate businesses (except for the tax evaders). Where people are comparing this to landlords are the buyers are taking undesirable pieces of property to rehab them and sell them at higher prices. While the physical locations of the pieces of clothing change as opposed to the location of the real estate, the effect is the same. There are no consignment stores within a mile of any thrift store where I live, and that is not a mistake because they know their market. This is not a quantity problem. Telling people to be grateful not to be naked is not a far cry from telling people who depend on thrift stores for work clothing to take what they can get. Assigning a lower value to the person who is working and/or raising kids because they can't live at the thrift shops is like telling the people who didn't buy before the gentrification to save more for safe housing. Imagine telling a working mom that it's her fault and problem for working and being a mom that she can't get nice things to go to work in. You want to know what I spent $1,000 of my still-being-repaid studen loans on? Acceptable clothing for office work for my graduate degree between different internships and externship because esch professional office had a different idea of what you have to be able to show off befire you get there. Imagine being a broke student who can't get a $50,000k/yr job because you can't afford Calvin Klein, much less something that the public you face will judge you on. (Because with no allowance for age and experience, if you didn't show up rich you must be unsuccessful, right?) You had a video on designer clothing being a scam to keep the poor paying more to look impressive among their peers. That's because your peers likely live in the same neighborhoods as you do and this is your one defining feature. Guess who else is not wealthy? Your immediate supervisors who are more likely to hire someone looking "higher class" than someone showing up with holes in *someone's jeans they threw out*. I'm not saying you're wrong about the supply. I'm saying you're wrong about the demand. The physical demand not to be naked is not the same as the cultural demand of being able to be dignified in what you have. Telling people to be happy that they're not naked while people strip away those small, previously-affordable dignities demanded by our society is asinine. Consignment stores are contributing to the return to class-based stratification, whether intentional or not. If they wanted to, they could donate those unsold clothes to professional organizations to help alleviate the impact they're making for people in poverty who need to go to court or get a suit for a job interview, etc. But they're not. They're taking the demand out of the supply then complaining that there's too much supply for the demand. At least, based on my experience.

[@Kris-ms4bo]

My sister is a big thrift shopper, she'll hit up every thrift store in our area 2-3 times a week. Usually she would thrift shop for me but I recently decided to get into it as well. I went thrift shopping and found a wool dress coat that retails for 450 dollars. I got so excited and my sister goes, 'Oh I didn't know you wanted that I could've picked that up for you weeks ago' the thing is this coat is all wool and has to be dried cleaned. Most lower income people cannot afford that maintenance cost. While I am not a reseller and kept the coat, I do not see the harm in someone buying it and making some profit off of it. Someone out on the web is going to buy something second hand and not buy it new this is good! Instead of getting mad we need to look at it from an environmental standpoint. Whether or not you can afford new clothes does not mean you should. Everyone should be buying second hand whether you are a doctor or a blue collar worker, we need to reduce our impact on this earth, and if they are saving clothes from a landfill isn't that all that matters?

[@ViolentAurora]

The concern is people who have actual pennies to their name. Who could have purchased a new shirt for an interview for .75 but now that same shirt is $11. They do not have $11. And they're homeless. And they have no food, toiletries or anything else. And that 75 cent shirt could have helped them get a job. A shirt that is now way too expensive because they also have to eat. Because the food they can buy is way more expensive now, too. That's the problem. People on disability who have $10 to their name after rent and utilities. People with severe mental illnesses who can't work very often. People who have no family to assist them. What I'm saying is, the environment matters. But so does the economy. The economy is intrinsically connected to the environment. We are intrinsically connected to the environment. If I can't afford anything at the thrift store, then it's really great that carbon emissions are down, but I'm frozen solid to a piece of concrete under a bridge.

[@Kris-ms4bo]

​@Aurora Chantel Hey Aurora I totally here your concern, but usually if not all thrift stores, not consignment stores, already have a policy in place to give homeless people FREE clothes for emergency weather, job interviews, etc so that's not really a problem. Also remember we have enough to go around, alot of clothing goes to the landfill, do not treat the clothes as resource to be hoarded only for a few, there is enough! And there will always be new supplies coming in from people donating, whether they are donating because it doesn't fit, they need to downsize, or their family donated their wardrobe after they passed away. As for the rise in thrift store prices are we really going to blame it on the individual instead of corporations. Let's be honest here who do we really think is responsible for the rise in prices resellers or greedy corporate executives?????

[@Sandrica011BG]

That coat would mean more to poor person who can't afford a one coat and is walking or taking public transportation than to someone buying it for much hifher price from professional thrifters as their fifth coat that will be worn sometimes. Let's not pretend that prices in thrift stores are so increased that poor people can't afford them anymore because of scalpers!!!

[@ViolentAurora]

@@Kris-ms4bo I didn't say anything about blaming individual people for not being able to afford things. And I didn't say anything about hoarding clothes. I think you're making assumptions about what I meant instead of reading what I said and comprehending it.

[@Kris-ms4bo]

@Aurora Chantel You are right, the last part of my comment was really just me using your comment to expand my original point. I did respond to your original concern in the first sentence. Homeless people get free clothes, they do not have to worry about the prices as what they are getting from the stores is charity.

[@christinapalafox]

It's absolutely true. Even Goodwill throws away a majority of donated clothing or sells lots in bulk to other buyers, who go through the clothing and sell items for profit.

[@martynichol2600]

The amount of clothing that ends up in landfills is unreal. Even the majority of used clothing shipped to third world countries ends up being rejected by the "poor".

[@Sandrica011BG]

Of course they get rejected because thrift stores get most items that are stretched, stained, ripped, with holes. People donate clothes that belongs to GARBAGE!

[@katarh]

A lot of it may find new life as furniture stuffing, as I found out. Cleaned, bleached, shredded back to fiber, turned into fluff.

[@insertusernamehere3173]

Upcycling and reselling: not an issue perfectly ok. Taking nice clothes and selling them for significantly more because they're name brand: kinda sucky Totally get what you mean and I agree. But I personally feel like it's nuanced. Honestly every argument and issue discussed these days are nuanced.

[@psychosoma5049]

I like what we do in the UK, we don’t really have thrift stores, they’re charity shops where the money goes to charity and the employees are all volunteers

[@Ew_itsGabbie]

I get most of my clothes from thrift stores or shein (shoot me ig) because they are really cheap and they have bigger sizes for plus size girls like me. My problem with people thrifting and reselling clothes is that they always go for the plus size items and make them into different pieces. I can hardly find jeans in thrift stores because of this and it sucks.

[@jrochest4642]

This one I totally get - KZbin videos of size 4 girls taking a really nice size 24 or 26 dress and "remaking" it into something tiny that looks, well, crappy. It also feels slightly spiteful, like a mean girl in high school -- "Ewww here's a nice dress for a FAT girl, we can't let GROSS FATTIES have anything cute to buy at the thrift store -- let's take it and ruin it. . ."

[@99leadpencils]

Yes Chelsea! I am a frequent thrifter and I see so much waste. I go to the big thrift stores in my city once a week to check out what's new. They are the size of an average walmart. The whole store has completely new clothing inventory every 1-2 weeks. Apparently, in my country (Canada),

[@kaleigrogan7306]

The landlord comparison is especially confusing, like a case could be made that both parties are profiting and profit requires ripping someone off but like… when someone on depop rips me off I still own a shirt, when my landlord does I don’t own anything.

[@opulence_prime]

Yes, clothes go to waste but it’s the clothes that people wouldn’t normally be able to afford from the thrift store that are being bought and resold at a ridiculous mark up 🥴 but you knew that.

[@kathrynstemler6331]

I always have thought the point of the thrift store was the profit generated from the sale of the donated items that can be used to fund the charitable organization. There are separate organizations (or streams) that collect clothes and housewares to distribute for free to people in need.

[@AlyciaBencloski]

I work for a regional human services agency that uses thrift stores to fund our job training programs. We need ppl to buy the stuff to provide the services.

[@jacksyoutubechannel4045]

1) I think the most obvious problem is with furniture and other home goods. 2) As others have pointed out, the problem is that resellers leave people who _need_ thrift stores with only "landfill" clothing to choose from.

[@kevinwillems8720]

The key is selling for a profit. Getting stuff at thrift stores is fine, rehabbing and wearing it yourself is fine. Selling for a profit is where the line is. Is taking something people need (clothes in this case, for landlords it's housing) and basiclly holding it hostage for profit. It's the same mentality as buying out an apartment building to make it all Air BNB rentals.

[@Alanubian]

Yep. The thrift store is being treated like it is a wholesaler for a retail business.

[@ToyAddict]

If you walk into a thrift store, there are hundreds of thousands of pieces of clothing there. Enough for everyone. WAY more than enough for everyone ten times over. A regular thrifter and a reseller have the same opportunity to find a good item. Resellers are not emptying stores. When I leave Goodwill with the one or two items that I could profit from, there are still hundreds of thousands of pieces for others to choose from. It doesn't take anything away from anyone, but it does feed my family.

[@RareBoom]

Ty and this is my experience, when a new rack comes out at a thrift, I hold back til the crowd has picked thru then I go in with my eye/interest/taste and almost always find great pieces. Point being everyone is looking for different things

[@lrhamorgaia]

Hold up. What if you are not an easily found size. People buy larger sizes just to " thrift flip" them with scissors. I'm trying to find something that fits for cheap without breaking my "below liveable wage" bank. I am trying to lose weight before you come for me. People will put larger clothes in a landfill because they assume it won't ever sell.

[@ysucae]

it's not about the quantity, it's not about taking away. i used to be able to find some nice shirts that would last a couple years and now it's all cheap shein shit that don't last and feel awful - the good stuff get snatched almost immediately and get resold in a nearby store for 10-20x the price, and since everything gets pricier, people buy cheaper on the web. sure, for a shirt, whatever. but i live in the cold hellscapes of canada and not being able to afford a good coat and boots is a real fucking problem... it's also a gentrification thing, like uppity high end boutiques just raid the community stores and then get a storefront on the same street to sell to 'respectable customers'. i don't mind a couple girls hustling on the internet, whatever. but it's bigger companies raiding poorer communities for cheap antiques and nice stuff and selling them to the same community at a markup or elsewhere where it's trendier. then everything gets pricier because the community stores are not run by saints and they see they can make bank on that. i'm seeing it now. it's quite sad because community centers have to resort to that to survive because they're underfunded by the government so everything gets tinier, pricier and less accessible. i just think everything should be in moderation and we should only buy what we need, in general. also i love how my local store just use up the unsold clothes to make washclothes and rags or fill up pillows, take the zippers and buttons for other projects, use small scraps of fabrics to teach people how to sew. trying to reuse, repurpose and stop wasting stuff away. (but again, it doesn't really work with the onslaught of cheap clothes that are designed to fall apart and not be reused.) i think my point is that we should consume less, be kind to each other and hate capitalism

[@kikiTHEalien]

The nice stuff which your store bought and tried to sell for profit went unsold, because it was too expensive. That is exactly the problem people complain about!

[@chillywonka]

Something important to keep in mind: At least in the US, the thrift stores themselves are typically not the charity. Rather, the organization uses the store's revenue to fund the actual charity programs, like food banks, shelters for the unhoused, job training, disaster relief, etc. As such, they have an incentive to match their prices to the demand for thrifted clothing, whether due to actual need, trendiness, or reselling. Also, let's not assume we know the financial state of resellers either. They very well could be low income folks too, using reselling as a way to make ends meet. Finally, there are so many divergent experiences in the comments! It's a great reminder that the impact of reselling, price hikes, donation volume, and store disposal policy is going to vary widely based on location.

[@thebatridesagain]

PLEASE NOTE: this is only in America as a charity worker, we do not throw away perfectly good clothing to land fill.

[@angrynoodletwentyfive6463]

The issue with wealthy people shopping at thrift stores isn't that there is not enough potential thrift clothes in circulation for poor people to buy it is that you are driving up the prices at the actual storefront where it is being purchased by shopping there. even if there is technically a virtually unlimited amount of clothes that could theoretically be in a thrift store there is a limit to how much of that clothes actually can be there at a given time because the store is only so big and many stores especially smaller ones rely on local donations. Conflating the amount of donated clothes in the US to how much clothes is available at individual thrift stores is just not how it actually works. those items need to be transported, priced, stocked etc all of which requires human employess which makes the amount of clothing able to be there finite. That being said you are not ALWAYS negatively impacting the poor by thrifting. Whether or not you are cutting off the poor from something they need by shopping at a thrift store is very dependent on factors such as where the thrift store is located, how large it is, how many garments you are purchasing, how the shop is being managed etc. So you just really need to pay attention to context clues if you want to thrift while minimizing your impact on poor communities. If a thrift store is within walking distance another service or business that is used exclusively or mostly by poor people (such as a soup kitchen, housing project, pay day loan businesses, etc) You will probably be upsetting the community by shopping there. if it is in a Middle class area, you are very unlikely t obe hurting anybody by shopping there... so just stay out of thrift stores in neighborhoods where there is clearly a high rate of poverty and you probably won't be hurting anyones ability to buy clothes.

[@spacepirate9275]

When resellers take everything cute and leave the thrift stores full of polo shirts and cargo shorts is it really a surprise that so much clothing goes unsold?

[@ernststravoblofeld]

A lot of thrift store clothes that don't go to land fills, get bailed up like hay, and shipped to developing countries where it ruins the lives of everyone in the garment business in those countries.

[@speaktheunspokentruth]

The other huge thing is that most of America is suffering economically right now and there's less than half of the nation that can get multiple outfits at a regular store or a department store without it causing a dent in their budget where they have to sacrifice something else. So, whoever is saying that must be part of the small percentage that can afford to get multiple outfits at full price in my opinion because they don't understand most of the nation cannot afford full price clothes right now, because we can barely afford our groceries and living expenses. I am so tired of people trying to gatekeep things that help so many people. I have almost never had new clothes and I grew up in a lower middle class family. I've always had hand-me-downs or secondhand clothes until I got into my adulthood with the occasion of a birthday surprise or something from a family member. Even in my adulthood I still don't pay full price for things 99% of the time, because it does not make economic sense sacrificing my food budget for clothes, and usually isn't worth it.

[@Odd_Gott_]

Agreed. There's literally thousands of pieces of clothes in a single consignment store. Thousands upon thousands. There's enough for everyone.

[@alliekingsley7919]

As a plus size woman, this actually IS a problem in thrift stores, not so much the upselling, but slimmer, smaller girls buying the clothes that are in my size and then upcycling them into an outfit they want to wear. Obviously, they're allowed to do it, but it really frustrates me when I see a size 4 buy a size 26 outfit because of 'all the extra fabric' and then recycle it into... a tank top they could have bought in their size anyway.

[@___.51]

Welcome to the world of thrifting… that’s how it’s always been. Gotta get in before the skinny girls snatch those deals for yourself.

[@lurkinlikeaboss]

​@@___.51 Not everyone has time to hang around the thrift store all day if you're working so by the time you get there it's been picked through

[@___.51]

@@lurkinlikeaboss The struggle is real, the plus sized steal, deals peeled make you turn heel and wonder, how can you stop the wheel 🤯

[@saundracarter-hebert]

I don’t know a lot about this “issue”, but it’s not like people who buy and resell these things don’t need money too. It sounds like people are being shamed for finding ways pay their bills, and that seems like a bigger issue to me.

[@williamtayor9530]

As someone who exists by using thrift stores, the problem is that all the good quality things are being bought by resellers, and the rest of us don't get access to quality clothing. Also, furniture that is good quality has become so overpriced that it's unaffordable for poor people. The problem is capitalism, people using thrift stores to get cheap clothing and marking it up, charities marking up good quality clothing so it's too expensive for the poor, etc. You are the one doing a psyo-op because your reality isn't based on what it's actually.like bieng poor.

[@ToyAddict]

I was poor, I started reselling and now I'm not. You go to the thrift, pick up a few good things next time and resell them. Why not use the resource you have to bring yourself up out of poverty?

[@lurkinlikeaboss]

​@@ToyAddict they literally just said all the quality items had been taking how are they supposed to just grab some food stuff to sell when they can't even find nice things to wear?

[@aprilstiek7430]

Consider this. Thrift stores are price gouging. If they sold the items at prices the poor could afford, maybe the clothes would not end up in a landfill or shipped to other countries. I’m middle class and I can’t afford to buy anything there unless I have a coupon or they have a major sale.

[@kathrynmcgehee3835]

I think there is nuance to this conversation. Nicer pieces are difficult for plus size women to find in the second hand market, especially when plus size options tend to look like something your grandmother would buy. Lots of people who rehab clothing will size down a plus size find to a straight size. That's frustrating for a woman like me.

[@ToyAddict]

I am plus size as well, and have NEVER(since the 80s) been able to find much at a thrift store that is a decent plus size item. (I'm a reseller, so I literally shop at the thrift a couple of times a week.) We tend to wear our clothes until they die. Instead, I shop clearance in-store and online. When I find something really nice for a great price, I buy two, sell the other for double or more online and now I've gotten mine for free. I don't hate on someone who finds something they like and remakes it. It's not like they were the only ones that had the opportunity to buy that item. Would I like to find it? Sure. But the odds of me being in the thrift store at that time and finding the same item, are slim. The thrift only lets things hang around for so long, and then they are off to the dump. Why not applaud people for saving an item?

[@lurkinlikeaboss]

​@@ToyAddict what about all the scrap material from that item that they throw in the trash?

[@Sandreline]

I run the donations intake at a large non-profit thrift store. I have mixed feelings about resellers. My feelings mainly pertain to non-clothing items, because - as you said - the vast majority of clothes end up in a landfill anyways. If you are thouroghly cleaning, enhancing, or otherwise fixing up a piece, then I fully support reselling. The problem I have is when someone buys a piece, puts little to no effort in, and then resells it. Particularly when it's nice furniture. Its the eff you got mine mentality. There's zero value added. And on a systemic level, thrift stores see this behavior and mark up prices to match. Thus making it more inaccessible. I'm not wealthy. And there is nothing better than going into a thrift store and finding the perfect piece of nice furniture to fit your home. I hate the idea of resellers taking that experience from people.

[@maureenf1783]

Totally agree about the furniture. From what I've seen they mostly just slap on a thin coat of cheap paint (w/o doing any prep or prime) and added a zero to whatever price they paid most likely.

[@Jessamineann]

Furniture bugs me sooooooo much… I’m constantly being outbid on FB marketplace or Craigslist by a guy who takes old singer treadle tables, rips the sewing machine insert top off and turns them into tables. They’re nice; don’t get me wrong! And obviously there’s a market for them as he’s still doing it. But I’m going to refurbish the table specifically for my Singer treadle machine! I’d have to reveneer it, and my max offer is taking that into account. It’s just annoying to see antiques get destroyed when I want them in their original condition. But people will pay more for a table than they will for the insert tops, so 🤷‍♀️

[@catherinenye4194]

I think there’s value in spending the time to find good pieces. A lot of people don’t have the time to drive out to the thrift and scour the inventory. It’s easier to browse CL or FB marketplace in your neighborhood. I used to resell small furniture items from estate sales and the thrift because I had the time. I’d clean it up and do some minor repairs. My neighbors have a lot of cool stuff in their homes because I took the time to drive out to the country to grab discarded gems.