Note: This article was published in our OCT 2020 Issue on October 31, 2020.

In recent decades but particularly in the 2010s, young people have ingratiated themselves with thrifting as not only a cost-conscious decision but an ethical imperative in light of growing awareness of the fashion industry's deleterious regard for the environment and the workers who make the clothes. Thrifting originated to serve and employ poor communities, starting with organizations such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill, and plays a vital role in supporting economically disadvantaged areas. Buying from used-good stores, which used to be largely looked down upon, nowadays is not only a statement of frugality and perhaps personality, but it has become the ultimate fashion statement for Millennials and Generation Z.

Gen Z (<24) is unequivocally powering the growth of secondhand shopping, with Millennials (25-37) tracking second, according to thredUp's 2020 Resale Report. Other data reveals that,on average, 16.5% of a Gen Zer's closet consists of secondhand clothes, which is more than any generation before it. This is largely driven by a phenomenon called social shopping, which is a method of e-commerce characterized by peer-to-peer transactions. Gen Z's hyper-social nature, undoubtedly tethered to social media's predominance, has created a genesis of brand discovery and brand engagement that happens online, on social media, at a peer-to-peer level. This trend is growing exponentially, with 58% of consumers saying they are comfortable purchasing items through a social media platform like Instagram or Facebook Marketplace instead of directly from a company's website. Even before the pandemic, online thrifting was booming. The past decade ushered a radical shift in attitude towards secondhand shopping (remember Macklemore's "Thrift Shop"?) and saw a subsequent takeoff in online thrifting platforms such as Depop, Poshmark, and thredUp.

The resale market was already set to double before the pandemic. Since the pandemic, the market has seen an explosion. Resale sites like thredUp have seen an ascension of website traffic, with thredUp announcing a record-breaking 31% increase in site visits this past May. With buying habits likely forever changed in the wake of nationwide stay-at-home orders, along with the economic uncertainty rendered to many U.S. citizens via a failed federal response––not to mention the backdrop of the climate crisis––whether out of economic necessity or a shift in values, secondhand shopping is almost certain to become the mainstream very soon.

Thrifty Drip, founded in February 2020 by Adrienne Williams, 26, is an online thrift and vintage boutique based in Maryland. The shop is a prime example of how resale democratizes the retail sector by allowing all people to be consumers, sellers, influencers, or brands. For Adrienne, it's all four. "I've always tried to look online and find online thrifting, for those days when I didn't want to go out, but everything was always very pricey! So I decided, hey, why don't you offer this service to others? You thrift for them, and they purchase from you." Adrienne runs Thrifty Drip part-time through an official website and on Instagram, where the Thrifty Drip page has amassed over 1,200 followers and growing. An active Instagram presence is indispensable for any seller on the platform, as Williams explains, "Instagram is essential. If you aren't marketing and engaging with your customers and those in the community, you won't sell much. It [Instagram] gives your customers a visual as to how to style pieces and also allows them to get to know the person behind the brand." Adrienne is the public face of Thrifty Drip, modeling the drip she resells and regularly posting photos and videos. "I use hashtags and videos to reach new customers. My followers/customers, I call them Thrifties now, love my videos!"

Adrienne is not alone. Two in three people who have never sold their clothes are now open to it—the #1 reason: to make money. There is also a very welcoming thrift community on Instagram that supports Adrienne in maintaining a social community, which is key to running a thrift store. "The Instagram thrifting community is AMAZING! It's very diverse. You have literally everyone supporting each other and putting out dope content! We share each other's posts and hype each other up. There is no hating in the thrifting community, I love it!" Currently, Adrienne makes time for Thrifty Drip while working as a preschool teacher. She aims to turn her online shop into a full-time career. "Honestly, it is really inspirational. It's an avenue for those of us who are different, but it shows that everyone is different, and it's okay to be. That's also part of my mission statement for Thrifty Drip. I want to encourage people to dress outside the box confidently!"

Since the start of the pandemic, swaths of the global population are spending most, if not all, of their time at home. Accordingly, 50% of people are cleaning out their closets more than they were pre-COVID. Now that more people are staying and working at home, thrift stores are dealing with an upsurge of clothing donations since the start of the pandemic. This is good news; however, the cause presents a serious paradoxical problem. Categorized as part of the used-goods industry, which has been deemed non-essential under emergency orders, thrift stores are experiencing public health restrictions that make it difficult to respond to the surge in supply and demand. Many stores are closed or are operating with limited staff. Combined with the lost revenue due to less in-person shopping, the pandemic has threatened the survival of many thrift stores that do not have an online presence.

For many people, online shopping has become a much safer alternative for visiting storefronts. But with this shift to e-commerce, used-goods industry operators who possess the capability to sell goods online stand a higher likelihood of withstanding the temporary closure of storefronts. Once stores are allowed to reopen, consumer traffic may not be similar to pre-pandemic levels. Thus, the ability to sell goods online will help industry operators slow down the revenue decline they have endured. Nonetheless, the number of companies and consumers in the industry is expected to rise. The general trend of thought is clear; as Adrienne puts it, "[p]eople should thrift more to save themselves money, if you have a unique style and can never find things that speak to you, and to help protect Mother Earth."