This lockdown compelled us to pause our life for a bit and some of us were fortunate enough to enjoy the extended vacation. Reading articles over articles about how this lockdown had greater effects on our lives and the environment I looked upon how things have shifted in fashion through this change. DIYs have been around for many years, yet we were able to see that people started experimenting in various activities including cooking, fashion and even building their hobbies into businesses. There has been an upward curve for the fashion DIYs. Tie and dye, knitting and sewing masks or a simple kurta helps people cope with the extra time they’ve got now.
It is evident that people’s mindset is shifting towards sustainable clothing we can also see the rise of thrift shops which might make people to move towards pre-loved clothes over new clothes. Thrift shops are also making sure to convey their customers that the clothes are in good condition, washed and taken care of. Watching the impact of fast fashion and the conditions of wasted clothes every year should also make us rethink before buying something new. Thrift clothes could be a great solution to slow down fast fashion and also reduces situations of good quality clothes going to waste.
Creative people buy clothes from thrift shops and up-cycle them into something they love by adding their sense of creativity to it. This gives our clothes a unique touch with a connection to what we wear. Fashion must become more sensitive towards the environment and the change starts with the wearers. People may have been hesitant about thrifting a while ago worrying about the condition of the clothes. But we could now see various brands consciously picking out clothes and maintain them in good condition. We can also follow the safety procedures by washing the clothes thoroughly after getting them.
Some thrift shops also work with a purpose to help the people in need that helps us buy sustainably as well as help the good work continue through our shopping. The prices of thrifted items are always a boost to our shopping spree as they are usually low priced or on an amazing value. The key for sensible buying lies on how much products we buy even if the clothes are adorable and the prices are double adorable. Reusing through thrift shops helps increase the lifetime of a garment or any product without letting it get accumulated into wastes.
Many international influencers have also spoken about sustainable buying and thrift shopping which encourages their followers to go in the same path. Celebrities like Winona Ryder and Kristen Bell are also known for finding their right clothes from thrift shops. Youtube influencer Hitomi Mochizuki with over 540k subscribers has stated she has been thrift shopping from a very long time. There are various other small local thrift stores emerging in instagram which helps build small sustainable business. Thrift shop is not just the only way for conscious buying. There are other modes of conscious buying like supporting local businesses, small businesses and so on. You could choose which platform or store helps you fit your style and buy from them and be a part of conscious buying.
