By Emerson Romans

Clothes sorted, displays set, customer ready.

Since 2017, the U.S. secondhand market has grown by 95%, with 1.4 billion secondhand apparel items purchased in 2022, up 40% from 2021 according to Capital One’s yearly shopping statistics. “Thrifting” or the act of shopping at a thrift store, garage store, or charity shop, significantly grew in popularity during the pandemic. The TikTok subculture coined “#ThriftTok” has gained over 1.6 billion views online.

The rise of thrifting acts as a cheaper way for individuals to participate in pop culture’s renaissance of several iconic fashion trends from the past, including flared pants, which rose to fame in the early 70s, high-waisted pants, infamously coined “mom jeans” in the 80s, and slip dresses, widely worn in the 90s. The rising appeal towards secondhand clothing has connected many youth with older generations. 18-year-old Bloomington native Minette Winzel has always treasured vintage clothing and the way it brings people together, no matter the age. She is an active vendor and employee at the Historic Bloomington Antique Mall, where she sells vintage clothing, specifically Indiana University apparel, through her shop titled “Minnie’s Market.”

“I love being a young person working at the antique mall,” Winzel said. “I just love seeing all of the different ages of people coming to appreciate it. You have elders that come in and say things like, ‘I remember this from my childhood,’ and then you also have college students and people like me who want to appreciate all of these antiques. Talking to all of them at the counter is just really special.”

While the rise in thrifting is partly due to shoppers following pop-culture trends, it is also beneficial to American society due to its ability to reduce waste, conserve resources, and lower carbon emissions. According to the University of Colorado, most clothes are made of synthetic materials that take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills. Extending the life of clothes reduces the volume of clothing sent to landfills each year.

Thrifting has also benefited Bloomington’s society, specifically through “My Sister’s Closet of Monroe County,” a nonprofit organization that serves to strengthen the community through helping women gain the resources they need to create a more stable lifestyle. Director of operations Erin McAlister notes that they’re much more than a thrift store.

“Our mission is to build a stronger community and promote economic self-sufficiency,” McAlister said. “My Sister’s Closet provides women in poverty with professional support services and career development tools for success.”

The non-profit not only provides clothes to their clients, but helps them improve their hygiene, resume, and job interview skills. “We help a variety of women,” McAlister said. “Some of them have been involved in abusive relationships, some have been incarcerated, and some have always lived in the cycle of poverty. We really hope to provide them an escape from that cycle.”

As Bloomington shoppers from all generations continue to thrift, low-income families will continue to be able to afford clothing, teens will continue to follow their trends, and its community will continue to strengthen.