Thrift Fashion: Circular Practices through Second-Hand Clothes Market

In the simplest of terms, thrift shopping means purchasing second-hand goods. There are several reasons why buyers opt for thrift goods, the main reason being ‘price- sensitive’. Even among thrift goods, thrift clothing has the strongest consumer base. The buyers of thrift clothes often settles for such clothes because of the availability of genuine foreign designer brands at a reasonable price, which would have been impossible to acquire if it was from designated show rooms. There was a time, when buyers of thrift clothes were looked down, as it subtly implied that those who were not in a position to buy first hand branded clothes settled for second hand/pre-used clothes. However, overtime, affordability is not the only reason behind such purchase. People have grown more sensitive towards the environmental issues. 

No doubt, thrift shopping is one of the ways that make circular economy stronger by extending the lifespan of garments, reducing their environmental impact and minimizing waste. The concept of circular economy which is modeled in production and consumption involving sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, recycling and refurbishing have made the consumers of thrift fashion to be a part of such model, with or without awareness of it. It will be interesting to understand the reasons behind the sell and purchase of thrift clothing, whether it solely for economic reasons or there is an ounce of knowledge of circular economy based on the environmental awareness, my guess settles for the former. The per capita income of the  Nagaland  is relatively low as compared to other states of India. The thrift fashion especially clothes have found a huge market in this region, making the people to get hold of their desired clothes at an affordable price. But, apart from its environmental and financial significance, one should keep in mind that compulsive purchase or hoarding of goods whether it is branded or thrifted is a mental disorder. Take Care!