I Can’t Afford To Thrift”… Said No One Ever
Thrifting is amazing. In fact you’d be hard pressed to find someone who can give you three good reasons why it would be bad (aside from some more superstitious ones). And here in Malaysia, it’s a sustainable fashion haven because we’re blessed with the whole range: from bundle shops to curated vintage stores.
As it turns out, the act of rummaging through second-hand things and paying a reasonable price for it has actually been around for a long, long time. In Canada, people have held garage sales on their lawns since before I was a kid, over 20 years ago. And I still remember their chain thrift store’s name: Value Village. It was already a way of life in some cultures. In fact, I’d say thrift shopping has all the right ingredients (or benefits): saving money, keeping clothes and things out of the landfill, reducing wastage. I guess that helped its popularity reach the heights it did when the Gen Zs decided it was the next THING and Malaysia’s thrifting scene surged.
Anyway, back to the three good reasons why to NOT go second hand shopping, even at those thrift stores online – disclaimer, I’m an avid thrifter when my wallet and thankfully, mood, allow. So trust me when I say I’ve thought about its cons: the non-financial costs.
Cost #1 Time
Yes, buying pre-loved usually saves you money, but at what cost? Time. Effort. In fact some people I’ve met are simply not interested in having to wade through racks of clothing on the off chance they might find something in both their taste and size –even if it’s at the best thrift stores in KL. Regular thrifters will tell you that on some visits to the store, you’ll walk away with nothing while other times, you’ll unearth a heap of really good necklaces, a pair of Levis that actually fit and flatter you, and like, 3 tops that catch your eye.
Unlike ready-made stores who have a definitive style and stock one thing in 10 different sizes, you literally never know what you’ll find in a thrift store, even a curated one. The most filtering that happens, is by general category: women’s pants, men’s tops, etc. So you’re literally paying in minutes to hunt for – not even decide – what you want… if you even find it. Time waster? Maybe, especially if you’re browsing because of the price, not the thrill of the hunt.
Cost #2 More Money
Back to the example of really good necklaces and Levis. This situation usually happens when you’re NOT planning to spend. Sounds familiar? However I’m convinced that it’s the nature of thrifting that makes this such a dangerous pitfall – the low cost, gems you’ll literally never see again, the ‘surprise’ factor – all these come together in a treacherous cocktail that gives your willpower the push it needs to buy that thing that you really don’t need. It’s very different from going into Lotus with a grocery list when you’re hungry. Those things on-shelf are going to be there for years. But the vintage sunglasses with the snap-on shaded lens you see at 2nd Street though… My personal solution? Just don’t go thrifting or even to the bundle store when you can’t afford it.
Cost #3 Heath
I know rarely do people bring this up and I’m confident (or maybe more like hopeful) that thrifters actually clean their things when they bring it back. And I have yet to hear, read, or experience anything truly hazardous or disgusting when it comes to buying pre-loved. But this is why I don’t buy second-hand shoes or kitchen equipment: because of safety and hygiene. It IS a bit of a risk –you just never know where what’s been, or who’s been in what. Some things are better left unknown, especially if a good scrub cannot erase it.
So, have I convinced you? Actually, if I have, this article worked better than I expected. I’m not a nay-sayer –I’m an advocate!–but merely want to point out the hidden costs that so often escape us (or maybe we choose to ignore them). So just remember, check in with your wallet before you check out that new JBR Bundle branch, or Google “nearest thrift shop near me”. Even if you might find a cute little fish-shaped, made-in-Japan pottery vase for RM3.
