Whether you are a GenZ or a millennial, you have probably heard of the up-and-coming trend of ‘thrifting.’ Thrifting is not exactly a new concept; it has been around since the time of the barter system. Modern-day thrifting, however, got its shape in Europe in the 1900s when designated thrift stores started claiming their space in the fashion market. But what is this modern-day thrifting like? And how is India’s way of practising thrift different? Thrifting basically refers to buying second-hand items. Initially, this was practised in Europe and the United States to provide for the low-earning sections of society. Hand-me-downs have always been a practice among the lower classes in the olden times. With time, it became a taste in itself for sustainability geeks and fashion-on-a-budget enthusiasts. In India, however, the story is different. Clothing and jewellery have always represented the division of class in Indian society. In a country where status was displayed through the expensive fabric of a sari or the weight of gold around one's wrists and neck, and gradually evolved into how shiny one’s leather shoes are, the concept of wearing second-hand clothes and accessories should ideally sound very unappealing. Yet today, when we pay to buy clothes that are ribbed, buy sweaters and sleeves with a relatively open weave, and prefer fabrics that would not have been considered tasteful at all maybe 20 or 25 years ago, it is a trend. How did thrifting still manage to claw its way into our country and stay as successful as it is? This is because most of the Indian audience that consumes Western media belongs to the middle class. The middle class encompasses a broad spectrum of people with varied financial conditions. In general, though, this middle class lives a life with just enough privileges and struggles to have access to western media, but not be able to afford trendy or luxurious clothes they come across on their screens. This is also partly the reason behind the rise of fast fashion. For many who do not wish to engage in fast fashion, thrifting is their way to fulfil their fashion needs. For a long time, fast fashion was the haven for people looking for a pocket-friendly alternative to buy new trendy clothes. But when the reality of the fast fashion market were unveiled to the rest of the world, thrifting gained its current power. Various incidents around the world brought people's attention to the dangers of fast fashion. The most devastating of them was the Rana Plaza[b] incident. The Rana Plaza disaster is one of the biggest events that raised awareness regarding the unethical ground practices in the fashion industry. Fast fashion brands are characterised by underpaid labour and lack of basic concern for human life. Such was the case with the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh, where four additional floors of garments factories were illegally set up in a shopping complex without proper architectural support. This was more weight than what the building could sustain. Soon, the struggling architecture started to give way through cracks. Despite multiple alarms and warnings, Sohel Rana, the owner of said factories, paid no attention to the danger and sent all his workers back, even blackmailing them upon facing resistance. The worst came to pass on 24th April 2013, when the building collapsed, killing 1,134 people and injuring over 2000 people, including women and kids. The incident, considered the deadliest accidental architectural failure in human history, led to widespread calls for better safety standards for workers. “There is a joke in China that you can tell the ‘it’ colour of the season by looking at the colour of the rivers.”- fashion designer and activist Orsola de Castro in the documentary RiverBlue. This labour exploitation is not just a problem for brands like Zara and Shein. Recently, brands like Georgio Armani and Christian Dior were under fire for allegedly overlooking their suppliers and the welfare of their workers. Many such luxury brands have been accused of malpractices and creating unauthentic pieces, such as switching the made-in-China tag to made-in-Italy and scamming their buyers. This is where thrifting would save the day in any other country. In the Indian context? Probably not. There is a rise in “professional thrifters” in India, people who call themselves thrift experts just because they found an amazing piece at places like Sarojini or Bandra Hill Road. Because that is where India gets thrifting wrong. These places are known for getting ‘export surplus’ or rejected items for a very low price, which they then sell to you at a good price. These items that are rejected come from the same factories where fast fashion apparel is created and, due to some or other issues, get rejected, which shop owners at Sarojini then buy in bulk and sell at surprisingly low prices. So the next time you pick a Zara shirt and think you found a copy of the original, remember you probably just found a slightly defective original piece. Some people also prefer to buy clothes from warehouses and docks where the shipments with these clothes first arrive. Here the item is not sold at a relatively higher price due to demand and instead is sold according to weight or number of pieces bought. Here you might find your favourite H&M top that costs ‘2K bucks’ at a price as low as 50 rupees. This practice is more common in the north and northeast side of India. However, the concept of thrifting is not completely lost in India. Thrift stores on instagram are here to bring the original thrifting experience to the people. Many tend to sell their used clothes on instagram at economical prices. Infact, some of these stores source original designer items which get donated to them or they buy from a seller at almost 1/3rd the price and sell it for half the original price. These shop owners carefully curate specific items on their stores, some putting in even more effort and opting for a specific style or ‘aesthetic’ so that people with a similar style can find all the items of interest in one place. These stores have now also started sourcing their items from local markets to increase their stock and keep their stores going which ultimately brings us back to square one - faux thrifting - if you may. This is why the concept of thrifting is slightly tarnishing to its true image in India. Although providing many with a livelihood, these big markets are a diabolical play of right and wrong. Presumably a win-win situation, it makes you wonder if you are as much a contributor to the fast fashion community as your friendly neighbourhood H&M homepage dresser. The Great Indian Thrift
In India, origin and material of clothing and jewellery represented status.
The Fast Fashion Issue
A Fashionable Misconception
Thrift shop, image via Hugo Clement/Unsplash
05 Sep 2024
Mimansha Ojha
