🌸♻️ The Ethics of Online Thrifting ♻️🌸

[@itsrey5475]

I am so happy that your channel exists fr. I knew about the practice of drop shipping, having seen it on Poshmark, but I didn't know that's what it was called. Would you consider doing a video on the ethics of making your own clothes and maybe the most ethical places to get supplies (like using items in your closet as supplies vs. buying items from a thrift store to use as supplies and if that defeats the purpose of making your clothes vs. buying supplies from a craft store etc. All the grey area lol)

[@TheStitchess]

I’ll add it to my list!

[@itsrey5475]

@@TheStitchess, Thanks!

[@joanateixeira1646]

Great, I would love to watch a video like this! Recently I've been trying to refashion my old clothes to give them a second life, and while it's been fun to learn how to sew for the first time, it's pretty hard finding supplies and fabrics that are both sustainable and affordable, at least where I live.

[@jequirity1]

@@joanateixeira1646 I like using thrifted bedsheets or curtains. It might not be the best quality but it's a lot of fabric for a low cost.

[@Beanburrito122]

Man I hate drop shippers. I kept on seeing the same blue midi dress for £25 to even £50, finally tracked the exact one down on Ali for £10

[@ingridw6150]

great video as always ! I resell on Depop *sweats* and everyday I think about the ethics of it, especially the "getting all the good things at the thrift store so now other people don't have access" - I try and go to a variety of stores and I have a pretty specific and kinda crazy aesthetic so I feel like I'm not depriving people too much. BUT THEN I want to have more plus size pieces available and that's where things get even trickier because, at least in the thrift stores that I frequent - the plus size sections are so small and I really don't want to take the 1 or 2 cool things they have there away from someone actually plus size who goes thrifting whilst still wanting to provide plus size pieces in my store too for those who do like to buy on depop... My plans are to start making my own pieces when I am a bit better at sewing so then I will be able to offer a variety of sizes. But yeah anyway, the ethics of reselling lol. I'm a pretty small seller but I feel like the cognitive dissonance volume might TURN UP if I were to start making a decent amount of money on it

[@ingridw6150]

Sorry for my life story lol

[@TheStitchess]

It’s a sticky situation that’s for sure. I’m friends with several Depop resellers and most of them also have a pretty specific style they cater to. There are pros and cons but I think if you’re providing clothes for a niche audience it makes it slightly less bad? Cause there are fewer people who would want it in the first place? Idk there are far worse things you could be doing tbh. Widening the secondhand marketplace and normalizing thrifting is at least a baby step in the right direction.

[@danaflores4099]

just for clarification, I work at goodwill and donated clothing doesn't get sent to a warehouse for further sorting, we sort them all in house. Clothes that get donated go straight to the clothing processors in which they get tagged and hung to go out onto the floor. Sometimes if you donate clothes and you don't see them on the floor its because it takes a while for the clothes to get sorted and tagged. The only time clothes go to a warehouse is if they aren't sellable (meaning they have rips or stains) or if they are on the floor for a certain amount of weeks and still don't sell. This is the process we use at my goodwill, however, goodwills not all goodwills are exactly the same.

[@TheStitchess]

At my local goodwill they get so many donations that only about a quarter of them get sorted in house - the rest go to a distribution center about 2 hours away. Goodwills in different areas do things wildly different though. In the southern us I guess it’s pretty unusual for clothing to get washed before going in to the floor too - even though here it’s considered pretty standard... I think it’s so strange that for one massive company there doesn’t seem to be any real standard practice 😬

[@fennifer2005]

this is how it was at the local thrift store i worked at in MA. the only clothing being moved around is clothing that couldn't sell or that is being resold to a scrap factory because it has holes and stains but is still textile that can be used.

[@fennifer2005]

I worked at boomerangs thrift in MA and we did not throw any clothes away. scraps, or clothing too dirty to sell was resold to scrap factories to be made into recycled textile. Also the $1 rack at our store was frequently used by people who sent clothing back home over seas. People bought $30 of $1 items every week to send home. Homeless people and those recently released from prison frequently shopped for usable pants, snow coats etc or volunteered in our stores in exchange for vouchers. We had a charity program to help rehab people and provide interview clothing. Depot IS gentrifying. In the last year i worked there the $1 rack became only gross tshirts and the curated rack of funky clothes was disbanded. Its because people are not shopping like they used to. clothing waist is not happening in the way we imagine in thrift stores. worker abuse is real though. we were under payed and had toxic management but we also were a non profit donating to AIDS Action. What does DEpop do for charity? (love the video, just trying to share some behind the scenes)

[@fennifer2005]

ALSO even with worker abuse, the people in our store relied on that work. Many people used the thrift store's flexible hours to meet a min or max amount of hour required for gov support. Taking these jobs away means that people are not even given the choice to quit, they just lose opportunity

[@fennifer2005]

ALSOO because this is a local thrift store, clothing was rarely shuffled around. if clothing was moved it was to another store in town and it was moved to better sell and prevent waist. if clothing is being moved its in one truck and the entire thing gets filled. Online resellers ship one item at a time. The impact is not the same

[@narrastalgia4718]

In general, my rule is that Depop is for aesthetic statement pieces, and then Poshmark is for really specific normal things (favorite jeans etc.) Also drop shipping is a NIGHTMARE, is nothing sacred?!?

[@enchantedluna111]

You know, quite honestly before you and trollfunk mentioned drop shipping I wasn't aware that was the term,but I start to see it here on a place I didn't expect: Facebook marketplace. I use it to sell locally and occasionally some of my books, old videogames and things like that and now, I notice more and more the waiting time of some sneaky sellers saying that if you want for example an "ita bag" you have to wait nearly a month. I understand they have lives and want to do an extra income... but still, it feels a bit shady you know. Thank you for the informative video... and I love that jumper =^.^=

[@TheStitchess]

I think drop shipping is one of the sketchiest things a person can do aside from actual scamming tbh

[@hairscythe2257]

Fast fashion is the bane of my existence. Once worked at Plato's Closet: if you don't have one in your area, they're a secondhand store that's pretty high end and boujie. It's a well decorated store and every thing is much more expensive. But what used to be a store that at least somewhat deserved it's high end reputation is now 90% Shein clothes. As someone who's sorted buckets and buckets of clothes Shein is some of the worst quality clothing I have ever felt in my life.

[@homosoftommorow]

I appreciate your sustainability videos. Also I love your sweater.

[@killianmcclellan285]

i don’t mind the little service fee for thrift resellers on depop. i can’t drive due to epilepsy and taking the bus to several thrift stores and try on what i find just to take home 2 or 3 things if *anything* isn’t a realistic thing for me to do. the resellers finding the nice stuff, putting in measurements, and sending it to me without having to go anywhere myself is worth paying an extra $5 every now and then. they’re just trying to get by and it’s not their fault when thrift stores supposedly raise prices or whatever because there’s a surplus anyways.

[@sarahbunny9283]

I personally hate shopping on Depop because if someone does have what I’m looking for, it’s stupidly over priced for what it is. And sifting through all of the spam posts is incredibly obnoxious. I live in the states and I use an app called Poshmark, but that also has its issues. Like on there they have what’s called “boutique” accounts and they are all basically just wholesellers, so it’s still new fast fashion. And not to mention they only offer 2 days shipping, which if you have to mail something that’s basically the worst way to send it. But even with all of that, if there is something I feel I need, I’ll take poshmark over Depop any day.

[@TheStitchess]

I like poshmark too but I find there’s more vintage on Depop. A lot of it is REALLY overpriced tho. Occasionally you find someone who doesn’t really know what they have tho and price it really low 😈

[@sarahbunny9283]

@@TheStitchess Depop is more hip and has a better variety, it just gives me too much of a headache lol. And I personally like the option for make offers on Poshmark without having to message someone, or have someone messaging me going "how low will you go on this?" like, Idk dude, what do YOU think is a fair price? Sorry that was kind of a tangent lol

[@madihaignitezzz]

There are also really good independent artists on depop that make there own items like jewelry or fashion, also there own clothes that they no longer want that wasn’t bought and sold higher . Im glad there is a good side to it as well ! Thank you for informing me on the sneaky side !! I bought beautiful hand made copper ring with a little rose quartz pink crystal by an independent artist on depop :) also ethical clothing store brands are hella expensive and I have to buy groceries as my priority . )’:

[@manulimali]

Thank you for this video!! Have you ever done a video on SkyDance? I was recommended it as a sustainable alternative, I’ve been looking for mini pleated skirts!!

[@Enialem]

Very interesting video ! I just downloaded Vinted yesterday ^^ here in France Vinted is more used than Depop. I consider using it because it could be easier to find my size. And I'm very picky about the quality as well, I want clothes that last a long time !

[@hanaaarow7941]

Getting hand me downs is a good sustainable option as well. Not always possible, but it would be cool if it was normalised to always see if a friend or family member would like a piece of clothing if you plan to get rid of it.

[@madihaignitezzz]

Hey is thredup ok!?!?!? I shop there !

[@ahhh4117]

I shop on depop bc I don't live near a thrift store that sells clothes :(