Tripping over Thrifting: An Economic and Environmental Paradox
“I’m gonna pop some tags. Only got twenty dollars in my pocket,” sings Macklemore in his famous song, “Thrift Shop.”
He talks about saving money and bagging ninety-nine cent items at a thrift shop, yet, little did he know that, six years later, we’d be lucky to find one item for twenty dollars (without tax of course).
It seems to be the case that, back when Macklemore released his song in 2013, retail stores were the place to buy the latest trends and to get “tricked by a business,” as he puts it.
Oh, how the tables have turned!
Given the popularization of thrifting, prices have skyrocketed, thus gouging the pockets of unsuspecting hipsters and environmental allies with good intentions.
Ideally, thrifting, in its purest form, involves used clothing donations to local shops, which would sell them to someone else at a reduced cost. The consumer would then reinvest in the system through their own clothing donations.
However, it seems as though capitalism has woven itself into the seams of an initially economical and environmentally sustainable system.
For one thing, advertising now plays a role in thrifting; some shops are marketed as second-hand, whereas others are “vintage.”
The latter is more appealing to the general public, which justifies the elevation in the exchange-value of the items for sale, thereby introducing branding to thrifting.
Though it’s important for people to make efforts to lessen their ecological footprint, ecology has somehow become a trend from which companies can profit off of. The resulting increase in profit margins, makes thrifting and sustainability, exclusive of those who cannot afford it.
And so, as for those who can afford it, they will continue to happily contribute to a culture of mass consumption under the pretense of environmental action.
Written by: Mel Spiridigliozzi and Valentina Tsilimidos
