Thrifting thrives as consumers like shopping sustainably

By Danielle Ferguson, for Pigeon605

Sioux Falls residents are out and thrifting headed into summer.

More people are in search of a unique, sustainable addition to their home. And local thrift stores are reaping mounds of donated items from customers who spent extra time at home sifting through their belongings during the pandemic.

Terry Brooks, owner of 605 Thrift, shut down for about two weeks last year before deciding to reopen in order to keep paying bills. He gradually increased shopper capacity. The demand for the opportunity to donate rose quickly.

“We started getting more phone calls every day from people at home, going through their stuff, trying to get rid of things,” Brooks said. “We started building up.”

He has seen an increase in shopping activity ever since he reopened in the summer, and especially in the past few months. Sales have gradually gone up ever since the store reopened, he said.

Once Upon a Child manager Amber McMillen said she’s hiring more staff to keep up with how busy the store has been. More customers are both donating to and buying from the children-focused thrift store, and more people are discovering the benefits of buying gently used, she said.

“In the last couple months, it’s been busy with more people buying gently used and thrifting versus buying new,” McMillen said. “There are a lot of people reusing, recycling. I think some people just didn’t know too much about it (thrifting).”

The store shut down at the onset of the pandemic and reopened in mid-May. McMillen knew people would be donating.

“When we first opened it back up, we had stipulations. We were worried about getting an overabundance of stuff because people were going through all their stuff,” McMillen said.

Goodwill of the Great Plains has seen an uptick in shopper and donor activity over the past few months.

Usually this time of year, activity is a bit slower, said Briget Solomon, chief mission officer for Goodwill of the Great Plains, but this year more people are out and shopping.

“Donations have been great,” she said. “Folks may have a little more income with the stimulus (checks) and may be looking to stretch those dollars.”

More people are shopping second-hand online too, Solomon said.

Online thrifting and resale sites thrived during the pandemic. Online reselling is expected to jump from $30 million in the United States in 2020 to $70 million by 2027, according to Future Market Insights research.

That increase is likely related to the pandemic-induced fear of in-person shopping across the country, but the trend also is aided by a new generation’s desire to shop second-hand.

More than 90 percent of the 15 million users of Depop, a peer-to-peer social shopping app, are younger than 26, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Brooks said he has seen more people in their 20s come into the store looking for furniture.

“They’re understanding older stuff is going to last longer than stuff you buy new today,” he said. “It’s already lasted 100 years. Do you think it’s going to go away soon? No. It’s solid, built well.”

University of South Dakota students Payton Ryz, Brigit Blote and Ashlynn Atwood teamed up to tap into that desire to shop sustainably.

The trio created Fomeno, an app designed to help shoppers browse multiple thrift stores in their area online, to help shoppers’ wallets and the planet.

The fashion industry is the second-dirtiest industry in the world when it comes to water usage and pollutant emissions – issues thrifting can help combat, Ryz said.

Ryz said it’s important to keep brick-and-mortar shops around for residents who rely on the affordable items. Resale sites are sometimes more expensive and tailored toward shoppers who are interested in slow fashion and upcycling trends.

Upcycling, or finding a used item and tweaking it or repurposing it, has become more popular with young adults and teens. Ryz said she once found a pair of baggy jeans she turned into shorts. Others have turned sweatpants into tank tops. Anyone can get into upcycling and thrifting, Ryz said.

“Keep an open mind,” she said of shopping second-hand. “A lot of people think it’s gross or don’t know where to start. It takes some time to get used to it. It gets easier as you do it. Find your style in a thrifted way.”