Meili’s Guide to Online Thrifting
By Meili Huang
It’s time to drop the belief that secondhand items are weird to wear or inferior in quality. In case you haven’t noticed, the recent shopping trend has been shifting from retail to resale as customers are more willing to spend on pre-owned and sustainable fashion instead of fast fashion and department stores. According to thredUP’s 2020 Annual Resale Market Report, Gen Z is the backbone of this disruptive trend to traditional fashion, making up around 40% of secondhand shoppers. During this pandemic, online thrifting surprisingly proves to be a trend that can cater to customers’ needs. While people are beginning to shop remotely more than ever, they also want to invest in enduring pieces and consume more considerately.
There is an intriguing element to thrifting - it has something to offer everyone. Whether you are shopping with twenty dollars in your pocket, looking for designer items, expanding your vintage collection, or simply wanting to shop eco-friendly and declutter your closet while earning some extra money, there is a platform for you. Out of all the overwhelming choices, here are some online stores you don’t want to miss.
Buy & Sell
Depop goes beyond an ordinary fashion marketplace. The app’s Instagram-like layout shows a vibrant and creative community that guarantees not just one-of-a-kind pieces but also style inspirations. It’s also easy to start selling: express your creativity with items through photography, list them with a brief description, and you are ready to go. (image via @depop)
Similar sites:
*Poshmark: One of the biggest secondhand marketplaces with dense traffic (which also means a competitive selling environment). Its “bundle” feature helps buyers save on shipping fees when shop multiple items from the same seller. @poshmark
*Curtsy: Compared to other platforms, Curtsy is more customer-friendly because it requires sellers to show items with people wearing them to give customers ideas of what the items actually look like. Buyers can bargain with sellers through the “offer” feature. The selling process is made easy with prepaid labels and shipping fees lower than Poshmark’s. @curtsy
Thrift & Consignment
thredUP is currently the largest secondhand shopping destination in the world with an abundant variety of brands. The company makes sure the items taken in are high-quality. It is also a convenient option for decluttering closets. Anyone can order free clean out kits and choose to earn cash from picked items or donate the earnings to charity. Because of its convenience, the payout of sold items is relatively low. (photo via @thredup)
Similar sites:
*Material World: Curated “try-on” subscription box of pre-owned designer items based on your style. Customers can buy liked items and return the rest. @materialworldco
*Worn Wear: More affordable choices to make through winters in Middlebury! Patagonia furthers its mission of cutting down on consumption for our planet by launching this site with used Patagonia clothing and gears in good conditions. You can also trade in your own Patagonia items for shopping credit. @wornwear
Buy Used & Donation
Ethica was recently founded by a sophomore in college during the pandemic. As someone who thrifts most of her clothes that define her style, founder Estella took her quarantine time to think about ways of making thrifting more accessible and less time-consuming. Updates on their incoming clothes are posted on Instagram. Donations are accepted through mailings and they do local pick-ups around the Seattle area. (photo via @ethica.clothing)
Similar sites:
*Re-Fashion: UK-based online charity shop that advocates the reuse, remake, and repair of clothes. Can donate by ordering free donation bags and shipping. @refashionuk
Vintage
Thrifted.com offers affordable vintage options from pieces for festivals to everyday wear. They know that shopping vintage is oftentimes about connection, sifting through the past and bringing lost gems to the present, and hopefully the future. If shopping in the online store by brands, each item comes with a bit of history of the brand and several links of possible matching items. (photo via @thrifted_com)
Similar sites:
*Elia Vintage: French minimalist style with ease. Provides worldwide shipping. @eliavintage
*Small Needs: Delicate pieces and accessories that resemble those of the ’80s. @smallneeds
*vinti: Exclusively designed pieces with effortless style and lasting value. @vinti.v3
*Miller's Room: Marquise Miller and his team sources items from private warehouses, individual collectors, and global markets. Services like curated fittings and stylings are available through appointment. Instagram posts updates and incoming items. @millersroom