The Sustainable Fashion and Thrift Club pushes for conscious consumerism in the rapidly changing thrifting market that capitalizes off of its trendiness.
The rise in popularity of thrifting has made its way into Concordia University and is culturally incorporating itself into students’ lives. Thrifting, which used to be a simple practice, has developed into a lifestyle prioritizing sustainability and uniqueness that “has transcended its humble origins to become a global phenomenon,” according to Thrift World.
Growing up, Noah Spivack, third-year management student and co-president of the newly founded Sustainable Fashion and Thrift Club (SFTC), witnessed the way thrift culture brought people together.
“Local thrift store vendors would always meet my prices, because I was a little kid,” said Spivack. “As I got older, they became the closest friends I have from back home.”
His introduction to thrifting showed him a space for community building, a central idea behind SFTC’s creation. Chris Aguiar, SFTC’s co-president, shares the same sentiment.
“I can name five guys that I’m good friends with now that started as regular buyers at my pop-ups,” said Aguiar.
Together, they are tapping into the rapidly growing thrift business by hosting SFTC’s first-ever flea market on Sept. 27 at the Hive Café. According to the 2023 ThredUp Resale report, the second-hand apparel market grew by 18 per cent that year, and by 2025, it is expected to account for 10 per cent of the total global apparel market.
For Aguiar, the thrifting community consists of all those who engage in an eco-sustainable practice when looking to find clothes for themselves — a sentiment shared by other Concordia students.
“Thrifting gives me the vehicle to find pieces that stood the test of time,” said Arshia Malekshahi, a fourth-year anthropology student.
However, the second-hand ecosystem does not escape the whirlwind of quick-paced trend cycles, with thrift stores increasingly stocked with discarded, mass-produced items such as Shein and H&M. This infiltration of thrift stores by fast fashion items creates an overlap between conscious consumerism and mass-market excess, making it challenging to distinguish passing trends from valuable pieces.
“Everyone’s going to fall into the trap of buying something that’s trendy because you think it’s cool, and it doesn’t resonate with you,” explained Sam Knight, a fourth-year sociology student. “Thrifting totally became a trend, which kind of sucks because I feel like it got rebranded as vintage.”
Though the trend provides accessible garments of self-expression, its rapid growth raises concerns about consumerism, and as trendy items command higher prices, thrifting is increasingly seen as a commercial style.
“I made one trip to the bins [Renaissance liquidation center], I picked up 20 things, and I realized my closet was overflowing,” said Aguiar, explaining the origin of his motivation to resell some of his purchases.
Over-consumption related to thrifting habits raises ethical questions about who benefits from the practice, particularly when prices rise, and affordable clothing is no longer accessible to those who need it most.
“If I’m looking for something fashionable to wear, I’m taking away from the marginalized people that need those resources,” said Malekshahi, concerned that one’s consumption might deprive others of clothes.
According to GQ, only between 10 to 30 per cent of second-hand donations to charity shops are actually resold in-store. However, corporations have capitalized on the trendiness of thrifting, as second-hand shoppers have noticed markups in stores like Value Village, as reported by the CBC.
“It’s problematic to blame people for thrifting, when the real issue is corporations like Value Village taking advantage of the influx of thrifters,” said third-year sociology student Lauren Guycowan, reorienting the idea that thrift culture is the cause of the rise in apparel cost.
An attempt to assist fashion thrifters, the SFTC’s events will feature more than 20 vendors, $5, $10, and $15 bins, along with donation bins, keeping thrifting culture among local vendors.
Spivack assures the vendors present are aware of students’ tighter budget.
“There are ways to keep clothes cyclical and passing around, and we want to facilitate that,” said Spivack. “We’re here to serve as a platform to foster connections and highlight the stories behind the clothing.”
Through a student-focused and student-led initiative, the SFTC advocates for more sustainable and conscious consumerism.
