9 Thrift Tips For A Sustainable Closet
If you’re looking to make your closet more sustainable but simply can’t afford some of the sustainable fashion brands on the market, a smart alternative is to shop secondhand. When you purchase used garments, you help to reduce textile waste, save money, and are able to directly contribute to small businesses in your community.
One of the biggest barriers to secondhand shopping is that the process can be pretty arduous. There are racks and racks of clothes to sort through and often, thrift shops aren’t the best organized or maintained. When I first started buying preloved garments, even the thought of walking into a thrift store would be overwhelming.
Thrifting is definitely an art and to help you master this skill so that you can build your dream sustainable fashion wardrobe, I’ve compiled a list of tips from some secondhand shopping rockstars in the community to share with you!
“The best tip that I have is to shop often, either at thrift stores or online. If you have a list of what you want that definitely helps, but keep an open mind as you may find something really neat and/or valuable that you weren't looking for.”
“Be open-minded: Things that seem out of your typical comfort zone may become a new staple! Thrifting gives you the opportunity to experiment with unique styles.
be patient: You will inevitably wade through a lot of early 2000’s forever 21 stinky stained junk and it’s easy to get discouraged. keep looking, look EVERYWHERE, and don’t let one slow thrift day get you down.”
Enjoy her everyday thrifted looks at @emgdwn
“Fave tip is to go through the entire size range on the racks! 🙂”
“Did you know you can give your current clothes a whole new lease of life with a snip (or two!)?
Start off small by chopping the ankles off those jeans you hardly wear to make them current with a frayed edge look.
Top tip: after cutting I then use a cheese grater to pull out the fray a bit more! Cutting up jeans is favourite thing to do, it's so easy and you can transform an old pair of jeans into a brand new pair of shorts for the summer.”
“Number one tip is go when they open! (Which is 9 am in SF 😩)”
“When you have some basic sewing skills, thrifting can be quite easy. Look for pieces that have potential. I always look at the label to see what fabrics were used and check the seams to see if I understand how I could work with it. I avoid cheap brands and flimsy or slippery fabrics; in my experience they aren't very forgiving. A 100% cotton men's button-up shirt makes great sewing material. Always check thoroughly for stains though, also on the inside of the collar. It tells a lot 😉”
“Style, fit and material matter to me the most when I thrift online. Since different brands have different size charts, if possible, it's a good idea to check the brand's official size chart when in doubt. I also always check the fabric content to see if I'm buying cheap polyester or luxury silk!”
“I do most of my thrifting online. Usually ThredUp since the rest is generally consignment and a little pricier though I'm not opposed. The best thing is to go in with a game plan in mind. If something grabs your attention on Instagram, set a search for it on ThredUp -- I've found things secondhand there for a lot less, especially if I care less about the brand and more about the aesthetic. But you can search by brands too, and they have a huge selection of designer/luxe brands as well. I have had my eye on smoking flats for a while now for instance, so I set a search for that category in my size and price range and I get an alert when a new pair comes in.
Getting into more than one tip territory now, but for pay close attention to measurements. Returning stuff is a pain when thrifting online. If they don't give every measurement, try to look up the brand's size chart elsewhere and make sure that the size matches you. Sometimes you can even find the exact item!
I also like to find really cheap trousers that I know all fit in the hips and then get them taken in at the waist. The tailoring should cost no more than the pants for this to be effective in my eyes ($20 is what it costs for good waist tailoring in my area) but use your judgment. I now have amazing pants that are basically bespoke.”
“My tip for thrifting is to know when your local thrift store restock their sales floor. Sometimes this calls for going all the time. Now, don’t go into debt by thrifting, but it’s best to know when they restock or put out new merchandise because that’s when you find the best pieces!”
“The best thrifting tip I can give to someone it is to work with what you have and embrace it.
I often listen to others saying, "I can't find anything at my local thrift store, I wish I could go to yours". Thas was also my mentality at the beginning of my thrift journey. The truth is, once you start appreciating your store, you will discover it to a whole new level. I discovered the sections for suits 3 years later, I also discovered a new section for sunglasses, I also learnt I can find just about anything from children’s clothes to house decor, blankets, etc...
Once you get familiar with your store, I can assure you success in all your trips.”
“1. ALWAYS check the menswear section because you never know what you will find (in person and online)
2. Make sure that you’re able to create at least 3 outfits with each piece that you’re eyeing
3. I always pin outfits I love on Pinterest and try to find pieces to recreate them. But I don’t limit myself either.”
Thank you so much to all of these wonderful humans for contributing their thrifting tips! 💖
Which one of their suggestions caught you off guard? Are there any additional tips that you’d like to share with the community?
G