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Is secondhand fashion still serving its original social and environmental purpose in an era of profit-driven reselling and rising thrift popularity?

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Interview #1: Puja Nvogue (slow fashion expert)

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Interview #1: Puja Nvogue (slow fashion expert)

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1. What would you say the original purpose of thrift stores are? Has this purpose changed?

2. How has the rise of online reselling platforms like Depop and Mercari changed second-hand clothing shopping?

3. Do you think reselling can clash with sustainability goals, especially since reselling promotes frequent buying and selling?

4. Do you think the way most people approach secondhand shopping today is unsustainable? If so, what would a more sustainable approach to secondhand shopping look like?

5. Can resale culture coexist with thrift stores’ goals of being affordable to low-income communities?

Response will be after May 10th due to interviewee's schedule.

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Interview #2: Elle Magana Mireles (Reseller and sustainable fashion advocate)

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Interview #2: Elle Magana Mireles (Reseller and sustainable fashion advocate)

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1. What motivated you to start reselling secondhand clothing?

2. Where do you source your inventory and where do you resell? What is your typical profit margin?

3. How do you decide what items to resell? Are there certain trends or brands you look for?

4. Do you view reselling as sustainable? Why or why not?

5. How would you respond to the argument that reselling takes affordable clothing away from the people who need it most?

Response: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11hZQocETvBEDBARTS92Agk2zZlKcIQAF73aIeXDwNso/edit?usp=sharing

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My observations:

Super busy--opened at 9 and I got there at 9:11 and it was already packed

Shoppers of all demographics--I saw teenagers and young adults around my age, and older adults too, male and female.

When a new bin came out, people surrounded it and immediately started to sort through the clothes. I tried to squeeze in to look too but there were so many people.

The majority of people seemed like resellers--a lot of people had full carts of clothes, some even filled multiple carts.

I was looking through a bin and heard people talking about a "rap tee." Someone had found a t-shirt with a rap artist print on it, it must have been vintage. People all around me were talking about the amazing find, and the person who found it was already taking pictures (presumably to post to resell).

I need to do more research to make sure I am right but the Goodwill had the outlet and a regular store in the same building, so I am pretty sure what does not sell at the regular store goes to the outlet. There were very few shoppers are the regular store which makes me think resellers typically stick to Goodwill outlets.

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Internet Source 1: "Thrift Flipping: Will It Save—or Ruin—Sustainable Fashion?"

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Internet Source 1: "Thrift Flipping: Will It Save—or Ruin—Sustainable Fashion?"

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The article talks about the perspective of a depop reseller and her response to criticisms resellers face. I learned that some resellers believe reselling is sustainable and see it as reducing textile waste. It also provides a good common ground for the debate on reselling.

I would use this fact: "The Wall Street Journal reports that increased demand for secondhand clothing, coupled with the surging inflation rate, has caused items like T-shirts to occasionally sell for over $50 in secondhand shops like Goodwill and the Salvation Army" as evidence to why reselling could raise prices in thrift stores. The article also describes how a reseller finds and sells items which could be good to include in my article.

My question is: Like the reseller in the article, do most resellers try to price their items reasonably or do most try to price it for as high as they can to make the most profit?

My interview with Elle connects with this source because she is also a reseller and believes reselling is ethical and sustainable.

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Thrift Flipping: Will It Save—or Ruin—Sustainable Fashion?

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Terriers weigh in on the ethics of reselling thrifted clothes at higher prices

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Internet Source 2: "The Dark Side of Thrifting as a Sustainable Fashion Trend and Solutions"

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Internet Source 2: "The Dark Side of Thrifting as a Sustainable Fashion Trend and Solutions"

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I have always viewed thrifting as ultimately sustainable but recently, and with the information of this article, I am realizing it is not totally sustainable. Overconsumption is the real issue.

I was going to describe how reselling raises prices in thrift stores, but that is a generalization because the article says that demand for thrifted clothing by consumers is the cause. After all, the consumers who demand thrifted clothing are the ones fueling the reselling boom. I will also discuss the overconsumption mentality that the article discusses: "This induces the “buy first, think later” mentality to buy what they do not need or even necessarily want simply because of the appeal of the low price. “Since it’s so cheap, even if I only wear it once, I got a good deal” is what I even tend to think when out shopping for specific events."

The article suggests that people should use a minimalist approach to shopping and thrifting for the ultimate sustainable option. My question is: If reselling promotes frequent consumption of clothes then would that make reselling unethical?

The first article addresses how reselling can be bad because it raises prices in thrift stores, but this article describes the same consequence but caused by anyone thifting (not just resellers).

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Sustainable Fashion Trend: The Dark Side of Thrifting

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While thrifting is a great alternative to shopping fast fashion, this sustainable fashion trend acts as a band-aid solution to overconsumption.

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Internet Source 3: "The Ethics of Reselling"

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Internet Source 3: "The Ethics of Reselling"

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This source furthers my understanding of the pros and cons of reselling. I am starting to realize from these sources that it is not black and white--reselling is not simply ethical or unethical. Of course there are negative aspects like raising thrift store prices, but reselling can be a good way for people to find unique items that are cheaper than retail price.

I want to include in my article the different types of resellers that this article describes. "Small businesses and accounts run by lesser-known sellers are more ethical and reasonable in pricing. The more people that can access secondhand shopping affordable the more beneficial. Avoid paying inflated prices and resellers who mass post new items—mass consumption isn’t good even when its done at thrift stores." According to the article, toxic sellers have really high prices and mass post items--promoting over consumption. Ethical resellers are usually small businesses who post fewer items for cheaper costs.

My question would be: On reselling apps like Depop, are there more "toxic sellers" or small businesses that are more ethical?

The source connects with the second source as it mentions the issue of overconsumption.

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Imagine walking into a thrift store, seeing a leather coat in excellent condition, and then seeing it be piled into a cart full of other things soon to be marked up and sold. For a reseller, it’s a great day, but for the average person, thrifting has been ruined. Reselling has blown up in…

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Source 4: "Thrift store prices are rising — but staffers say it’s not because of growing popularity"

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Source 4: "Thrift store prices are rising — but staffers say it’s not because of growing popularity"

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This article is allowing me to understand that resellers are not that big of a threat to affordable thrift store prices. General inflation based on the economy is a bigger factor.

The article describes a specific Goodwill location. Workers and customers have noticed higher prices but do not believe resellers are the cause, in fact at this specific store the worker only notices 4-5 regular resellers. Including this commentary could be beneficial in creating a narrative.

My question is: Is this the same for most thrift stores: are these few frequent resellers? Also, does it depend on the type of thrift store? Does Goodwill bins get more resellers than other thrift stores?

The other sources made it seem like reselling is so big and resellers are buying up all the clothing in every thrift store. This article differs because it is describing the opposite: some thrift stores are not as impacted by resellers.

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Thrift store prices are rising — but staffers say it’s not because of growing popularity

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Interview #2: Britne Isenhower (Consignment store manager and thrifter)

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Interview #2: Britne Isenhower (Consignment store manager and thrifter)

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1. Have you noticed a rise in resellers selling or shopping at Plato’s Closet in the past few years?

"From a buying standpoint, resellers will come in and they'll sell us the items that didn't sell on their website."

1. Due to demand from resellers, have Plato’s Closet pricing strategies changed?

"Yes from my standpoint because I've noticed an increase in resellers. You don't necessarily want resellers to get those good items because you want those items left for the people who are going to cherish them and who actually want them for themselves. So its hard but you have to increase it enough where the resellers don't make a profit but not too high so that the person who really wants the item won't buy it. So yes we've increased it by like $10-$15 depending on what it is but not so much so that the person wouldn't buy it."

1. To what extent do you think second hand stores serve low-income communities effectively? Do you think this has changed over the last few years?

"Resellers have kind of took over that market and because of that, if you are a low income family and you go to the thrift store, you're kind of having to either fight the resellers for the item or you might not even get the item because the resellers have already purchased it. Also I grew up poor so the only options were thrift stores and Walmart, and at the time no one liked thrift stores. You could at the time find really nice items, and you still can now its just a little different because there are a lot of resellers, so you are kind of having to grab a bunch of things you might not want but you have to look at it before they get it."

"Thrift stores had to change some of their pricing and I hear all the time that Goodwill has changed their pricing. If you go to CHKD or there's a DAV in Virginia Beach, those prices have become higher, but I think they have become higher because you have to be made aware of those brands so they can make a profit off the resellers. So I definitely think resellers have changed the game but I don't necessarily think it is for the good because I feel like they are greedy--they are just trying to make a quick buck. And I don't like that because to me thrifting should be fun and also if you can't afford those things you should be able to go to the thrift store to find it and buy it inexpensively."

1. What was the original purpose of thrift stores?

"When I was growing up, I had no choice but to thrift. The purpose of thrifting when I was growing up was that it was the only option. People are using it as a business now to make a quick buck, and that's what kills me."

1. As someone who enjoys thrifting and flea markets, what are your thoughts on the reselling boom?

2. What do you think are the benefits and downsides of the increased popularity of thrifting from your perspective?

"Resellers go to thrift stores almost every day. So unless you are also going everyday it is definitely harder. I think it is great that a lot of people are thrifting, I just think you should be thrifting for yourself and your closet but not thrifting for a profit. Resellers have also opened up eyes for other people showing that you can get those items from a thrift store.

Response expected May 8th

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Source 5: "From Donations to Premium Prices: How Goodwill Is Shifting Its Business Strategy"

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Source 5: "From Donations to Premium Prices: How Goodwill Is Shifting Its Business Strategy"

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This article gives me a new understanding on not only the fact that thrift store prices are rising, but why and the strategy behind it. Specifically, thrift stores like Goodwill are using price discrimination: pricing items differently based on how much consumers are willing to pay.

I will be using this article as factual data. This article provides good statistics of the second-hand market, but also explains the business strategy of thrift stores and the complexity of remaining affordable and accessible in an era of increased demand for thrifted items.

Just like Elle was describing in her interview, this article shows that price increases in thrift stores is not just from resellers but thrift store's decisions to try to increase profit instead of maintaining affordable prices.

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By Samantha Fong

The Santa Monica Goodwill on 6th and Broadway has two floors: the first floor has lower-quality items, while the second floor showcases name-brand clothing. This setup is an example of price discrimination, where sellers charge different prices for similar items based on what they think customers are willing to pay. For example, airlines use this strategy by offering cheaper tickets for early bookings and charging more for last-minute flights.

While this strategy makes sense from a business standpoint, it raises ethical questions when applied to thrift stores. If all items are donated without cost, is it ethical to charge a premium for secondhand goods? Shouldn't thrift stores prioritize equitable pricing to fulfill their mission of providing affordable clothing?

The answer isn't so simple. Price discrimination might seem unfair, but it allows businesses to adjust prices based on demand. When a product is popular, its value goes up, and people are willing to pay more, which benefits the business and its customers. On the flip side, items that are less popular might be discounted to reflect lower demand. This approach is now common in thrift stores, where the growing popularity of thrifting has been linked to rising prices.

According to a Capital One Shopping report, the U.S. thrift market has doubled to $50 billion since 2020. Much of this growth has been fueled by increased awareness of sustainability and the influence of TikTok and YouTube, which have popularized thrifting among younger generations. While this trend reflects positive shifts toward reuse, it also places pressure on thrift stores to adapt their pricing strategies accordingly.

Unlike traditional retailers, Goodwill gets their inventory for free through donations and its nonprofit status exempts it from paying federal taxes, which reduces its operational costs. Even with this competitive edge, Goodwill has maintained high prices and has been caught pricing some items higher than their original retail value. This comes as a shock to many, especially since secondhand goods usually have a lower market value.

Because of these high prices, only about 20% of inventory is actually sold. The rest are sent to Goodwill bins, shipped to poorer countries, or worse, end up in landfills. With fairer pricing, Goodwill could sell more and reduce waste. After all, selling secondhand goods at or exceeding full price is bound to upset deal-savvy shoppers.

Goodwill marks items above retail price

Goodwill's recent launch of its online auction platform, ShopGoodwill.com, highlights its shift toward market-driven pricing by normalizing markups on sought-after items. This new model mirrors resale marketplaces like Poshmark and Depop, where prices are set based on competing online listings rather than predetermined tiers. The irony is that many resellers source inventory from Goodwill to profit from the price gap between low thrift store costs and what they can charge online. Now, however, Goodwill itself is adopting this strategy, narrowing those margins by creating more distinct price tiers.

A TikTok video by @HarpyHarpyGlass revealed a shortlist of brand names, such as Bebe, Calvin Klein, and Levi's, that Goodwill reserves for ShopGoodwill. Instead of sending these premium items to store racks, they are listed directly on the auction site at double or triple the in-store prices.

The leftovers are often lower-quality goods, such as massive overflows of Shein products, a brand whose prices are so low that consumers prefer to purchase directly from the source. Though some consumers may still buy Shein secondhand, it's more likely that this excess will result in heaps of unsold inventory.

Shein clothing floods thrift store racks

Goodwill's evolving pricing strategies reflect the challenges of balancing financial sustainability with its mission to provide affordable second hand goods. As consumer demand for thrifting grows and market dynamics shift, Goodwill has adopted new approaches, such as premium pricing for desirable items and its online auction platform, to remain competitive. While these changes may raise questions about equity and accessibility, they also highlight the complexity of operating within a rapidly changing industry.

Looking ahead, Goodwill has opportunities to align its practices with its mission by exploring partnerships with other second hand suppliers, increasing transparency around pricing and inventory management, and finding innovative ways to extend the life cycle of unsold goods. By adapting to both market demands and community needs, Goodwill can continue to play a pivotal role in the growing thrift economy while staying true to its foundational purpose.

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From Donations to Premium Prices: How Goodwill Is Shifting Its Business Strategy

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The Santa Monica Goodwill on 6th and Broadway has two floors: the first floor has lower-quality items, while the second floor showcases name-brand clothing. This setup is an example of price...

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Very broad early outline--it will be altered when interview responses are done.

Section one: Personal anecdote of my experience as a reseller, including observations from the Goodwill bins

Section 2: Contextualize the topic: talk about the rising popularity of thrifting and reselling

Section 3: Discuss the original purpose of thrift stores including social (affordable to low income) and sustainable (reducing textile waste). Include quotes from the interview with Puja about her thoughts on sustainability and thrifting.

Section 4: Introduce the criticism of reselling and rising prices in thrift stores. Include quotes from Britne's interview as she has negative views towards resellers. Reference internet Source 1 and 2. Also talk about the "toxic resellers" who promote over consumption from source 2.

Section 5: Use source 4 and 5, and Elle's interview to discuss why thrift prices are not necessarily entirely due to resellers, but the pricing strategy choices of thrift stores and their goal to make profit. Explain how some sellers

My conclusion will revolve around how resellers are not the issue--overconsumption culture and profit-driven thrift stores are.

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This source will be used in my context paragraph where I will be referencing statistics to support the fact that the pandemic fueled a rise in thrift popularity and reselling.

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With people nowadays wanting to become more environmentally and economically friendly, thrifting is a great option for the nature- and money-conscious. But what do you do when your favourite thrift stores have become either unsafe or shuttered during a pandemic? Online thrifting is the solution for this new problem, but it didn’t just bloom out…

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Use after Elle's interview to support her points.

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When we clean out our closets, we often use three piles for clothing: keep, donate, and toss (or, landfill). Even though many Americans donate clothing, textiles still make up a shocking amount of the US waste stream. The EPA reports that Americans generate 16 million tons of textile waste a year, equaling just over six percent of total municipal waste (for context, plastics make up 13 percent of our waste stream). On average, 700,000 tons of used clothing gets exported overseas and 2.5 million tons of clothing are recycled. But over three million tons are incinerated, and a staggering 10 million tons get sent to landfills.

We need to reduce textile waste and prevent burning or landfilling used clothing, processes that release greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, it typically costs $45 per ton to dispose of textiles, equaling hundreds of millions of dollars per year, showing a clear economic case to reduce waste.

Donating clothes can also be problematic. Bagging up and dropping off these items might end their story in our minds, but it doesn't signify the end of life for your shirt or pair of pants. Not by a long shot.

Donating

Many people donate their worn clothing to a local charity shop. One popular charity shop chain is Goodwill, which reports that it offers many opportunities for the clothes to be resold, although roughly five percent of donated clothes are directly sent to landfills, largely due to mildew issues, which can contaminate entire bales of clothing. The rest remain in the 3,200 stores for four weeks before being moved to Goodwill outlets, found in 35 states, where items are sold for 99 cents per pound. What doesn't sell at the outlets is then sent to Goodwill Auctions, where huge "mystery" bins full of items are sold for as little as $35 each. Finally, what clothing remains gets sent to textile recycling centers where they will be cut into rags, processed into softer fiber used for filling furniture and building insulation, or sent overseas.

Another well-known thrift store, Buffalo Exchange, operating in 19 states, purchases secondhand clothing from community members to resell in stores. It offers clothing that it cannot purchase as donations to local non-profits. Store merchandise that doesn't sell is sent to outlet stores in Texas and Arizona. Unfortunately, most thrift stores don't track where their donations head after they pass them along to the next step, and that includes Goodwill and Buffalo Exchange.

Textile Recycling

Recycling textiles can keep materials out of landfills and incinerators as well as reduce need for virgin fibers by extending the life of existing ones. Textiles are sorted by material type and color. Sorting by color means that no re-dying would need to take place, which saves energy and dyes. The textiles are then shredded. Zippers and buttons are removed from the shredded piles using magnets. Natural textiles, like cotton or wool, are cleaned and mixed through "carding," a mechanical process that passes fibers between moving surfaces to break up locked clumps of fiber and aligns individual fibers to be parallel to each other. The product is then re-spun into yards of threads and ready to be used for weaving or knitting into new products.

Synthetic fibers, such as polyester or acrylic, are processed into polyester chips, which are essentially plastic pellets that become polyester again. The chips are melted and spun into new filament fiber for new polyester fabrics. There are small businesses and major brands committed to using recycled materials in their goods. For example, Patagonia sells clothing made with recycled down, wool, and polyester. Even the labels and zippers in these items contain up to 80 percent reclaimed material. Green Business Network member Ooloop uses recycled wool, cashmere, cotton, and even recycled fishing nets in its clothing. Ooloop also uses surplus material (the discards from the fashion industry), for its clothing lines to keep those materials out of landfills.

Overseas Exports

Secondhand clothes that don't sell in the US or go into textile recycling are often exported. Roughly 700,000 tons of used clothing gets sent to other countries annually, reportedly creating a big market and contributing to job growth. But it's highly contested whether the impacts of this trade on local economies yields beneficial or harmful results. The sheer volume of exported clothing has suppressed local clothing industries and developed an increased reliance on other countries. It's estimated the cost of a secondhand garment is as low as five percent the cost of a new garment made in Kenya, meaning local industries are unable to compete with the influx of cheap, used clothing.

In 2016, the East African Community (EAC) agreed to a complete ban on imported clothing that would have gone fully in effect in 2019. The Trump administration pressured leaders to rescind the ban, which they eventually did. But a range of projected outcomes were debated during the multi-year discussion of the ban. Kenya had said it wouldn't be able to follow the ban's deadline, as it lacks the capacity to meet domestic demand for clothing and the export demand for its textiles. Local small businesses need to expand and scale up to satisfy demand. Kenya's new garment industry had half a million garment workers a few decades ago but now only has tens of thousands.

Opponents of the ban pushed back by saying it violated international trade agreements, could have eliminated hundreds of thousands of jobs, and reduced millions of dollars of income. Donated clothing was previously given away for free in East Africa. It then became a commodity to sell, which is what suppressed the local textile sector, but created livelihoods in the secondary clothing market at the same time. In the future, the US government could work with East African nations to support the development of local textile industries while reducing the flow of garments from our secondary market.

Reduce, Reuse, and then Recycle

With almost two-thirds of clothing castoffs headed directly to the landfill, what's abundantly clear is that we produce far too much clothing in the first place. With the influence of fast fashion, we now see over 50 "micro-seasons" of clothing being made in a year instead of the previous two seasons (spring/summer and fall/winter) from decades past.

Here are three steps you can take to reduce your impact on the Earth when it comes to clothes:

1. Reduce clothing purchases and consider the larger waste trail behind the textiles we buy. Donating clothing is far better than landfilling, but it does not erase the impacts of the clothes we buy and discard.

2. When buying clothes, choose secondhand. You can find used clothing for sale in local thrift stores or online.

3. For new items, look for "recycled content" products to ensure we are creating demand for recycled textiles, which leads to more incentive for companies to close the loop and give new life to used textiles.

Beyond these individual habits, we can advocate for less waste throughout the fashion system. Host a clothing swap to build community and show others the importance of reducing waste. Use social media and email to contact clothing companies and express the importance of designing for a loop instead of a landfill. Ask your local government to explore better collection systems for used textiles to ensure they are repurposed or recycled. Spread the word about the harm and waste perpetrated by the unsustainable fast fashion industry. For all of us who wear clothes, there are many ways we can make a difference for people and the planet.

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What Really Happens to Unwanted Clothes?

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When we clean out our closets, we often use three piles for clothing: keep, donate, and toss (or, landfill). Even though many Americans donate clothing, textiles still make up a shocking amount of the US waste stream.