The satisfaction of secondhand
Ava Stephens, Staff Graphic Artist
A vintage leather jacket. The perfect pair of boots. A soft sweater in a great shade of green. Denim broken in with the best texture and feel.
Tucked away somewhere in a thrift store is a treasure just waiting to be discovered.
There are endless opportunities to reuse and repurpose when it comes to secondhand shopping. The perks of buying clothes, accessories and home elements from thrift stores are numerous and easy to recognize. Possibly the biggest perk is the price tag. Cheap, affordable items and clothing are what thrift stores are for. College students especially benefit from the low prices, finding new styles while staying in budget.
Another advantage is the sustainability of buying things secondhand. Instead of clothing or household goods going to landfills, people have the opportunity to give them new life. This helps to lower waste and to prevent items from being thrown away when it still has so much more use. The financial and environmental benefits to thrifting are clear, but is there anything deeper?
The emotions behind thrifting are subtle but nonetheless still there. When getting an article of clothing for a cheap price and giving it new use, a feeling of satisfaction and a sense of pride accompany it.
An excerpt from the Sustainability Directory states, “Repurposing often results in a deeper sense of satisfaction and honor, as the item’s story is continued, making the emotional investment worthwhile for long-term wellness.”
Emotional investment in items from a thrift store could look like nostalgia, pride or simply deep satisfaction as mentioned above.
Knowing something is sustainable and being able to help the earth, even in a very small way, can bring out positive emotions. When connected to a greater purpose, even shoppers’ small choices to buy sustainably can feel meaningful.
Statistics from The Earth & I’s website show that “purchasing secondhand instead of new saves on average 8.41 pounds of carbon emissions, 16.48 kWh of energy, and 88.89 gallons of water per item.” Those small choices that shoppers make to be sustainable actually do make an impact.
Laney Carson, a freshman at North Greenville University, loves to go thrifting because “there’s no waste involved. You’re just reusing. It’s like you’re creating another life out of something that could have been thrown away.” She captures a wholesome and upbeat feeling when it comes to buying items that are not brand new.
Carson believes that everyone should thrift not only for the sustainability aspect, but because it is also fun. Thrifting can be an enjoyable activity to do with friends or alone because it can be a treasure hunt every time. Never knowing when gold might be struck, the art of searching is just as fun as getting the reward at the end.
There is another emotion behind shopping at thrift stores, which is happiness. Thrifting is fun and enjoyable, creating an exciting hunt by shifting through racks or shelves to acquire a hidden prize.
Ethical reasons can also be linked to emotions behind thrifting. NGU sophomore Logan Pinalto says her conscious feels better when she goes thrifting because fast fashion can involve abusive labor and the exploitation of workers. Shoppers can avoid supporting those types of issues through thrifting because it reduces the need for fast fashion. This offers a way for people to feel helpful and good about small habits such as buying second hand.
Secondhand shopping can also bring out deeper, personal emotions. Thrifting has a way of bringing out an individual’s personal style. Feelings of creativity and intentionality flow when a wardrobe is built not from trends but from the experience of looking for unique and personal pieces. To avoid getting caught up in the many trends, secondhand shopping is an affordable outlet to try new styles and create a closet based on personality rather than popularity.
Thrifting brings out positive emotions that go beyond the obvious benefits it has. Along with low prices and environmental sustainability, secondhand shopping provides people a happiness inducing activity and a sense of satisfaction, accomplishment and pride.
