Fast fashion may be so out, but real fashion is returning. However, it’s doing so in a revolutionary way. Cash-strapped Gen Zers are flocking to thrift stores to snap up top brands like Talbots and Tahari, often at bargain prices. But what motivates them to do so? It’s time to answer that trend and explore what motivates Gen Z to ditch traditional stores for thrift stores in larger numbers than ever!
The Stats Speak the Truth!
More than 4 out of every five Gen Zers are willing to buy clothing at thrift stores. Yes, it’s second-hand, but almost everything looks brand new or pretty close to it. In less than three years, the Gen Z cohort will comprise about 28% of thrift store shoppers. The global thrifting market grew by 28% in 2022, and Gen Z accounted for a respectable amount of that growth by contributing to 28% of the revenue generated by thrift stores that year.
The Environment Has a Lot to Do With It!
Collectively, Gen Z is extremely environmentally conscious. So much so that the bulk of their strategic shopping and lifestyle decisions like buying clothes are centred around environmental-friendliness. Manufacturing and discarding clothes pollutes and degrades the environment immensely.
Gen Z is aware of that. So, they prefer to recycle high-end fashion by buying it second-hand. They understand that sustainable living will be a permanent part of future generations’ lifestyles, and they also know that recycling as many items as possible contributes to sustainable living substantially.
They Want To Stand Out In Their Way
Gen Z is like their Baby Boomer, Gen Y, and Gen X parents because they want what they wear to define them and their collective personalities as a generation. But they are doing so in a more responsible way than their parents ever did. It’s easier to find unique and high-end fashion at a thrift store than at Dillard and Walmart.
Gen Z feels that the clothes major retailers sell are unique and let their true selves shine through. They also know that savvy shoppers can get amazing deals that traditional and mainstream retailers couldn’t afford to offer.
Peer Pressure is a Contributing Factor
Youngsters want to fit in, and Gen Z is no exception. However, they rely on the digital world to create that peer pressure. You guessed it, social media platforms strongly influence Gen Zer’s passion for thrifting. Gen Z is one of the most digitally literate generations on the planet. So, it’s easy to find fashion tips from noted global influencers.
All they have to do is go to TikTok or Instagram to find the latest and most trending clothing items from thrift stores. Then they can go to their local thrift store to seek those items out. Indeed, many would say that social media platforms have gone a long way towards creating a thriving community of thrifters.
They Want Change
So did their Baby Boomer parents. But unlike the youth of the 1960s, Gen Z is finding more responsible and peaceful ways to rebel against the establishment. They are choosing thrift stores for clothes shopping because they want to set an example of sustainable shopping and ensure that it remains popular with future generations.
Gen Z is Truly Redefining Fashion
And they aren’t doing so by wearing flowery bell bottom pants or tight mini skirts and tube tops without bras as their parents did. Instead, they are choosing sustainable fashion by acting responsibly and buying gently used second-hand items at thrift stores.
