Fashion in the age of online shopping

With fast fashion awareness on the rise, the gentrification of thrift stores has placed a halt on those who rely on them

COMMENTARY BY MARCELA RONDON, STAFF WRITER

Shopping has never been easier. With a click of a button, one can order absolutely anything. Many — specifically those from middle and upper classes — have been purchasing from thrift stores for sustainable reasons to counteract the negative environmental and social effects it has.

The rapid production of clothes by underpaid garment workers has been coined as fast fashion — retail manufactured quickly and for cheap, usually to keep up with demand and trends. Fast fashion’s negative effects, such as cheap labor and environmental harm, have recently been brought to light via social media.

Thrift stores are a haven for those who do not want to support the fast fashion industry. They have a wide array of clothes, shoes and houseware, all for low prices. This is why members of the lower class often rely on thrift stores to purchase material goods. However, with increasing rates of financially stable people thrifting, stores have been raising their prices for more revenue and to keep up with demand. In fact, according to Thredup, a popular online resale company — 13% of the most active shoppers were millionaires, who don’t need to purchase second hand.

This raising of prices to appeal to the middle and upper class is known as gentrification, something that usually happens in neighborhoods to make them more appealing to the masses but is a less known term when it comes to fast fashion. By gentrifying thrift stores, those that depend on buying pre-used clothes and household items are negatively affected.

An estimated 16-18% of Americans consume from a thrift store during the given year, according to The Emerging Resale Market: Recommerce and Resale Industry Statistics and there are around 29% of Americans that are below the poverty line in the U.S. Many of these Americans rely on thrift stores to purchase apparel and other household items, but as prices are raised, it’s more difficult for them to purchase clothes and other items.

DID YOU KNOW?

Goodwill Industries made $5.9 billion in sales from more than 3,000 non-profit resale stores in 2017.

Source: United States Census Bureau

According to Discover Goodwill, Goodwill is a non-profit; they donate a majority of their earnings to charity, upwards of $0.85 for each dollar they make. Since they are a non-profit, they need to make more money to be able to donate money, while still keeping their stores afloat and adequately pay employees. Therefore, they raise their prices to keep up with the demand, harming their needier customers who cannot afford to buy from more expensive places in the process.

Capitalism harms the lower and working class through exploitation; workers are paid very little and are overworked. Capitalism only benefits those at the top of the social ladder, millionaires and billionaires with inherited wealth, according to Economics Help. Those that own these large corporations only get richer and benefit more from cheap labor. This exploitation cannot be avoided — if cheap labor were to be done away with, then the lower and working class who also depend on cheap fast fashion stores will have to purchase from increasingly expensive and gentrified thrift stores.

To preserve wealth, many wealthy people are taking advantage of lower prices that many lower class citizens depend on. Those who can afford to purchase from higher end stores should leave thrift stores to those who need it. Even if the price tag is higher, by shopping from stores geared towards sustainability, wealthier people also have the potential to help combat fast fashion made with exploitative cheap labor. Reformation, Patagonia and Jenni Kayne are all known as sustainable online and local stores that utilize high quality materials and pay their American factory workers a livable wage.

“To end this there’s going to have to be a change in the industry or a change in laws that don’t allow this mass production and maltreatment of workers,” sophomore Micaela Montero said. “I think it’s important to hold companies accountable for their actions.”

Already, the displacement of lower class citizens puts them at a disadvantage for purchasing a home, enrolling in good schools and having a safe environment for their families. To have affordable clothing also be taken from them by the upper class is immoral and unfair. Citizens must work together towards pushing for capitalist reform and against further gentrification. Thrift stores must continue to be made available for people who need it and only through collaboration can any true change arise.