Secondhand apparel fly off Insta thrift store shelves

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In India, the past three years alone have seen the emergence of thousands of online thrift stores on Instagram, with follower counts running into a few lakhs.

As a result of this trend, India has one of the fastest-growing secondhand apparel trade, holding 18.2 per cent of South Asia’s used clothing market. Globally, the secondhand clothes market is projected to grow three times faster than the apparel market overall.

While secondhand or “pre-loved” clothing constitutes a majority of thrift store products, some shops also sell export rejects and surplus. Secondhand clothing goes through several rounds of quality checks and cleaning before it is listed.

While physical thrift stores are popular in other countries, thrifting in India primarily happens online, particularly on social media. There are currently over 6,70,000 Instagram posts tagged under “thrift India”.

Many shops rose to fame due to Instagram’s “reels” feature, which collates content from creators on users’ feeds, based on their interests and previous engagement.

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“One of my reels blew up, and overnight, I gained about 6,000 followers,” says Shubhra Vaity, a 20-year-old thrift store owner from Mumbai, who sold 2,500 clothes via the platform in the past year.

Most sellers schedule “drops”, when they open bookings for new products at a specific time. The demand for thrifted clothes can be so high, that once posted, an item can be sold in less than 30 seconds.

“I have to set a reminder for drops, so I can book the item that I want. Because there is only one of each product available, there is a lot of pressure to get the item that you want,” says Shruthi V, a regular thrifter.

With most buyers and sellers being under the age of 22, these stores have become a space that curates current, niche fashion trends. For many, running thrift stores provides supplementary income in addition to their primary jobs.

Shubhra emphasises that it is the distinctive style of clothing that attracts customers. “People are looking for unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that fit their style,” she adds.

Thrift stores are thriving due to a proliferation of different aesthetics among Gen Z and some young millennials. Several online stores cater to specific styles and eras in fashion. There are stores dedicated to ‘Y2K’ or style from the 2000s, streetwear, “cottagecore”, a countryside aesthetic, and even disco-themed clothing.

Gaura Sharma runs one such store, dedicated to swimwear, which has now accumulated over 16,200 followers.

“I found that interest surged after the pandemic. People might be trying to save more money, and brand prices are only increasing,” she says. “While a brand sells one top for Rs 1,299, I sell the whole set for Rs 699. The affordability is a motivation for many people,” she adds.

Ritika Bhushan, a fitness instructor who regularly shops on Instagram, agrees. “The same tops that cost around Rs 800 in stores can be found in thrift stores for Rs 300,” she says. “Thrifting is also really sustainable, as the clothes are not mass produced,” she adds.

As awareness increases about the impact of fast fashion, consumers are seeking out sustainability. According to a recent report, 84 per cent of consumers opt to buy environmentally sustainable products, provided they are affordable.

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“We only use about 20 per cent of the clothes in our wardrobes. Overconsumption and hoarding are especially concerning in light of the climate crisis,” says Ashni Tripathi, one of the co-founders of EcoDhaga, an online thrift store, which has resold and upcycled 2,000 kg of clothing in less than a year.

She adds that, “Thrifting has potential as a sustainable solution, as clothes can be re-sold, and fabric upcycled.”

While thrifting brings many benefits, there are also drawbacks. Size inclusivity is a pervasive issue. “Most often, we get each piece in just one size,” says Gaura. While her store has a return policy, most thrift stores do not.

“The sizing issue is a major concern. When I first started thrifting, there was a lot of trial-and-error. Since I could not return these clothes, I re-thrifted or gifted them,” says Ritika.

Despite such misgivings, thrifting was found to have displaced nearly one billion new clothing purchases in 2021, making it a sustainable and accessible alternative to big brands and fast fashion.