A Dilemma of Ethics in Thrifting

Thoughts | Mikayla Reitsma

“I love that designer bag. Where’s it from?”

“The thrift store… and it was only 10 dollars!”

Thrift shopping is becoming more prominent, and, as it becomes more trendy, its hidden downsides are too.

Many people choose to thrift for the sake of ethical consumption; Fast fashion is out and being responsible with your purchasing habits and clothing choices are back in. Second-hand clothing prevents landfills and is, therefore, more environmentally friendly. However, thrifting’s increase in popularity has a drawback. High demand for second-hand clothing has caused thrift stores to increase their prices. This has impacted the economic accessibility of second-hand clothing, making it less affordable for those seeking clothing on a tighter budget (Mayhew, 2024). Value Village has even gone so far as to introduce Value Village boutiques, one opening just down the road from the University of Toronto St. George campus, which offers “better” inventory for even higher prices (Warren, 2023).

Thus arises a moral dilemma: thrifting is more environmentally friendly than regular retail shopping, but it also actively decreases the affordability of clothing for those who rely on thrifting to clothe themselves.

This prompted an investigation into different major thrift stores’ values through their mission or value statements on their websites. Below are some quotes from large thrifting corporations:

Value Village: “As champions of reuse, we’re committed to keeping one-of-a-kind finds out of landfills” (“Savers,” n.d.).
Goodwill: “Changing lives and communities through the power of WORK” (“About Us,” 2024).
ThredUp: “At ThredUp, we believe in a sustainable fashion future” (“Our Impact,” n.d.)

It seems that most large thrift stores don’t prioritize affordability. Instead, they prioritize issues such as sustainability and career development. These are admirable causes, but they fail to address the problem that is beginning to impact customers who depend on thrift stores.

Since these corporations cannot be forced to follow a different set of values, the choice then falls to us, the consumers. Should we thrift or abstain for those who need it more? Do we help the planet or help the people?

References

About Us. Goodwill. (2024, July 2). https://www.goodwillindustries.ca/about-us/

Mayhew, Q. (2024, October 16). The hidden cost of thrifting. The Manitoban. Retrieved from https://themanitoban.com/2024/10/the-hidden-cost-of-thrifting/48084/#:~:text=As%20demand%20for%20clothing%20rises,extra%20on%20basic%20clothing%20items.

Our impact. ThredUp. (n.d.). https://www.thredup.com/about

Savers. (n.d.). https://www.valuevillage.ca/about-us

Warren, M. (2023, December 30). As ‘sustainable’ thrift shopping booms, consumers wonder why everything is so expensive in toronto stores. Toronto Star. Retrieved from https://www.thestar.com/business/as-sustainable-thrift-shopping-booms-consumers-wonder-why-everything-is-so-expensive-in-toronto-stores/article_5c64f390-9b6b-11ee-80b7-8fa5df203f73.html.