Trends come and go, and today we see a variety of styles like flare jeans trousers, biker leather jackets, and cowboy boots, all thanks to the art of thrifting.
Thrifting
Thrifting refers to the practice of buying or reselling vintage items, including clothes, accessories, books, and even vinyl records. In the past, celebrities would resell their accessories to fans. Another example is the auctions held by galleries to resell works of art or antiques. This practice gives items a second life and allows them to tell new stories. Nowadays, everyone has access to these treasures at attractive prices.
Vintage shops
In the North East, numerous stores sell vintage items ranging from clothing to shoes, bags, and jewellery. Vintage shops enable customers to create a unique style, connect with the past, share stories, and contribute to environmental sustainability. Local store owners like Laura Jackson and her partner Nick, and Rachael Johnson, who manage The Friday Vintage and The Yesterday Society Vintage respectively, exemplify this trend.
For many, vintage fashion represents an identity and a means of standing out from the mainstream, while for others it is a true passion. Laura Jackson explains that she has been collecting vintage items since she was 13, she said:
“Since I was little, I have always found this activity enjoyable. The objects I found in charity shops were always of better quality, and I have continued this hobby until now.“
Driven by her passion, she decided to open a store.
Buying second-hand
An article by Vivian Hendriksz highlights that the UK stands out as the second country with the highest engagement in second-hand shopping. This trend reflects a growing awareness and appreciation for sustainable consumption practices. “Following the United States, the United Kingdom is considered the second largest thrift shopping culture, with the British thrift market valued at 3.3 billion USD and 4,082 thrift stores. Notably, 70 per cent of the population engages in second-hand purchases.”
Many people, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are embracing the trend of buying second-hand items. In the UK, around 9.4 million adults purchased second-hand items this year, with 84 percent of those buyers being millennials.
A study conducted for this article reveals the main reasons behind these purchases, which include quality, price, and environmental impact. Vintage clothing is often regarded as being of higher quality because, in the past, the materials used for making clothing were more labour-intensive, and designers took greater care to ensure the quality was excellent. In contrast, today’s fashion industry has shifted towards ‘fast fashion,’ where items are produced quickly, often leading to counterfeits and lower-quality goods.
Real fur and faux fur
A notable example is clothing made from animal fur. Historically, designers used real animal skins for items such as boots, coats, and even sofas. However, rising labour costs and government regulations have led many consumers to seek alternatives. In the video below, Laura Jackson demonstrates how to distinguish between real fur and faux fur.
She added: “Another way to determine if fur is real or fake is by conducting a fire test. You can use a lighter to burn a small section of the fur. If the burned part disintegrates, it indicates that the fur is real.”
Nick added that fake fur, which is more like plastic, will not disintegrate; instead, it will shrink when burned.
Vintage?
For an object to be classified as vintage, it must come from a specific era, which can often be identified through its design, materials, or provenance. Rachael Johnson has been dedicated to this field for nearly 11 years. She explains that she can identify the origins of a piece simply by touch and sight. Additionally, she comments that studying geography at university has helped her in determining the origin of certain items.
More research explains that to qualify as vintage, an item must be from before the 2000s, meaning it should be more than 20 years old.
Photo by Divine Njoume
Rachael Johnson says: ‘Vintage clothing offers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to fast fashion and in doing so reduces the climatic impact of fashion while also providing quality items that will stand the test of time’.
Buying second-hand clothes helps give these items a second life. The fashion industry creates 92 million tons of clothing each year, and people wear most garments only 7 to 10 times before throwing them away. Thrifting is a sustainable option that breaks this cycle.
This article was first published in Shorthand
