Each year, 92 million tons of clothing end up in landfills globally. The few that don’t get thrown away? They end up in thrift stores. 

Thrifting provides a cheap, ecofriendly way to get “new” clothes and have fun doing it. It also gives a new, loving home to old clothes that have their own unique style.  

“I like to thrift because it’s a cheaper option and I think it’s easier to navigate and find things that appeal to my style of clothing,” senior Corina Davidhizar said. “In a lot of stores where you get firsthand clothing, it’s typically more modern and not my style. I would have to go to a mall or someplace even more expensive to get the kind of clothes that I want to buy.” 

Thrifting can also be a fun social activity.  Whether it is delving through racks of clothing or searching for secondhand books, it is a simple task to do while talking with people around you or with friends.  

“A lot of the time I’ll go thrifting and not even buy anything because I’m just hanging out with friends,” senior Eli Shaffer said.  

However, it’s more than just the experience; finding an item of clothing you like can feel ‘euphoric,’ according to senior Kylie Schwegman. 

“I really like it when I find something really good and it’s in my size,” Schwegman said. “I always get this really good feeling.” 

In addition to the warm feelings, thrifting also helps to balance out the quantity of resources needed to manufacture clothes. According to the UN Environment Programme, it takes around 2,000 gallons of water to make one pair of jeans. Moreover, globally, humans use 1.3 trillion gallons of water each year for fabric dyeing alone, which is enough to fill 2 million Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to the World Research Institute. Apart from water, making textiles also takes resources from other fossil fuels, making the industry a major liability when it comes to environmental conservation.  

“I really hate thinking about fast fashion and how much it can contribute to landfills,” said Schwegman.  

Many thrift stores are also non-profits or support charities. For example, 112 Salvation Army adult rehabilitation centers are funded by thrift store proceeds across the United States, according to their website. Thus, not only does thrifting help the environment, but also people in need.  

Interested in thrifting? Check out local thrift stores like Goodwill, Plato’s Closet and Clothes Mentor.