Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Confessions, Online Thrifting and Sustainability

So, I have to admit, I love clothing. I love it a lot, and getting something new for my wardrobe is always a thrill. I generally wear out my clothes until they're pretty beaten out and then spend some time acquiring new pieces and swapping out old ones. I've also started upcycling some of my old stuff to spice things up, as well as shopping in local and charity thrift stores, but it's labour intensive and time consuming. I was so excited when I discovered Poshmark, because it gave me access to a more sustainable way to thrift. Thrifting can be inaccessible depending on where you live, and the selection is often limited- I have seen so many cute pieces which were just not my size. But the internet kind of eliminated that problem. I could find whatever I wanted in the exact size I needed!

However, I quickly realized Poshmark, Facebook Market Place and Kijiji are not as sustainable as I thought. I know for a fact that you do not have over 6000 preloved items to sell. I know for a fact all those "NWT Leggings" are not actually used. And I'm so disappointed that this space has been infiltrated by profit hunters. I have come up with a list of "red flags" when shopping the used market for clothing. Is there anything I should add?

  1. NWT (New with tag)
  2. Over 100 listings from the same user
  3. "Seller speak" in the description (ie. "Rare, "Hard to get", "Great for pairing with jeans")
  4. "Closets" or listings with a wide range of sizes (it's possible people's weight fluctuates, but I often find profile's with other red flags will be selling clothing ranging from XXS-XXL sizes)
  5. Profiles featuring only one brand


Submitted July 28, 2021 at 11:19PM by WannabeInzynier https://ift.tt/3faiZ8m

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