Thrift has been the buzzword amongst Gen Z and millennial Indians for a while now, more so since the pandemic. Instagram has witnessed the mushrooming of pop-up online thrift stores started by even teenagers, from every nook and corner of the country. While thrifting has been popular abroad for quite some time, it used to be an alien term for Indians, which has now become part of everyday conversations – something that people look forward to doing. Thrifting has emerged as a go-to alternative thanks to its reasonable prices, even for branded products, especially after the crowd favourite Shein was banned. Not to mention, the spread of conscious living which has encouraged people to embrace and flaunt their thrifted goods. Social media influencers and fashion bloggers have also jumped on this sustainable bandwagon by trying to encourage the thrifting mentality. The global outcry and allegations against fast fashion brands have egged on this desire in people striving to lead a more eco-friendly life, to make conscious fashion choices.
Shreya Jain, a blogger and content creator from Jaipur who runs SJ Box on Instagram, is a happy thrift buyer. In a conversation with News18, she said, “In an age where cheap and fast fashion has led to a throwaway mentality, shopping for secondhand clothing is a ray of hope. Although I have not completely stopped fast fashion consumption, I am taking small steps in promoting ethical alternatives.”
The burgeoning thrift store business has opened up a variety of choices for bloggers to choose from, so they don’t have to feel ‘fomo’ while shunning fast fashion. Shreya has also recently started thrifting her pre-loved clothes which get sold out in a jiffy. The shift in language from ‘pre-owned’ to ‘pre-loved’, of which the latter term is preferred now, depicts the patterns of change surrounding the mentality of thrifting over a period of time.
Sunitha Scharma, a style and travel blogger based in Kerala, is also a newbie to pre-loved thrift sales. “These are barely used or never used garments that don’t fit me anymore. I held on to them thinking I would fit into it someday, but realised I would be happier if they found new homes.” She has already done two rounds of sales and is planning to run more in the future as this experience has brought her immense joy. “Every time a buyer sends me pictures styling my garment, I do a little happy dance,” she told News18.
She recommends buying garments that transcend seasons or trends, rewearing and restyling the clothes that one owns, which will require a lot of learning and unlearning. “I used to shop quite a lot from fast fashion brands up until a few years ago. However, I am slowly taking steps to be a conscious consumer by rewearing, thrifting, and sourcing locally more than before.” Sunitha sews her own clothes or gets them tailored, too, whenever possible.
Bhumika Thakkar, a chartered accountant turned skincare and fashion blogger in Mumbai, said her thrift-bought pieces are quite unique and affordable. The fact that you’re supporting a small business and reusing clothes, adds to its advantages, she said. “Fast fashion brands like Zara and H&M have started their sustainable lines and DIY is not a new concept here, as Indians are used to buying material and getting it stitched. A lot of new smaller brands have cropped up with fresh designs and good quality, long-lasting material. People are definitely more conscious about their consumption now and moving towards sustainability, which is a huge first step,” she added in a conversation with News18.
Bhumika also said that repeating clothes by styling them in different ways is a trend that is catching on these days.
But what if you can change the same outfit to a completely different one without running the ‘risk’ of repeating clothes? Niti Singhal’s revolutionary
Twee In One is the only sustainable brand that aims to do just that. The brand screams ‘less is more’ with its reversible and convertible clothing for women and kids. The clothes undergo a complete transformation in a flip and voila, your work attire is now party-ready. The concept is literally similar to a buy one, get one free combo, and here you can get up to four looks from just one piece of clothing. Speaking to New18, she said, “It is surely a conscious way of living. With extended longevity, the clothes can be re-used with different looks, a small step towards saving the planet.”
In a world of hyper-convenience and overconsumption, as the population peaks, there would be less space, busier lifestyles, and more pressure on the fashion industry. Convertible/reversible fashion is the future as it saves on space, time and is sustainable, Niti added. Not just clothes, Twee in One has also introduced convertible bags to its collection too.
Aparna Kuttikat, a fashion curator based out of Bengaluru, started thrifting with an aim to reduce shopping for fast fashion clothes and to take a step towards sustainability. She was introduced to the concept in college, three years back when thrifting was still event-based and not thriving on Instagram. “Since there are restrictions to practising sustainability at a high level, thrifting has always been one of the easiest ways to start contributing to that. But, all my thrifting experiences haven’t been great, which I feel might be a discouraging factor for fashion influencers.”
Sustainability was predicted to be the zeitgeist of 2021 and people are definitely adopting measures for the same, she added. Aparna has also tried out reversible clothing and bags. ”I loved the fact that it was one item and I could wear it with so many different pieces.”
Online thrift store thredUP’s 2021 Fashion Resale Report states that the global secondhand industry is expected to double in the next five years, hitting a whopping $77 billion. This record surge is seen to be driven by millennials and Gen Z. The entry of American company Poshmark, a popular marketplace for pre-owned fashion, into India, has further bolstered the future of thrifting in the country. Aside from the feeling of accomplishment for doing a tiny bit to save the planet, a ‘thrill of the find’ associated with bagging mostly single-piece limited items at minimal cost, makes thrifting all the more wholesome. The shift to thrift culture is here to stay and we’re all for it.
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