CHENNAI: Every passing second, one garbage truck worth of garments is either burned or disposed of into landfills - a video by the World Economic Forum revealed this shocking information, based on the findings of a report by Ellen MacArthur Foundation. With such absurd statistics, it's not an unreal prospect that some of the clothes that make up this ever-enlarging pile are yours and mine.
As the dangerous outcomes of fast fashion found the spotlight across social media in the pandemic, many began looking for alternatives on the route to sustainability. This resulted in the cropping of several online - and a handful of offline - thrift stores across the country. An effect that spilled into the city of Chennai as well.
Reasons aplenty
These stores offer thrifted (secondhand) clothes, accessories, and more, often at a much lower price than the original. This was much welcomed by many first-time and veteran thrifters in the city. Architect Abhinaya Rangarajan had been waiting for this moment. As a traveller, she had noticed the benefits of thrifting and had adopted it six-seven years ago. Back then, however, the city had little to offer a thrifter.
"I am a hoarder of vintage and antique things and saw that thrift shops and vintage stores were a common thing in other countries. Back then, people would be surprised when I described how much I bought my clothes for. Now, people have definitely opened up post the pandemic; a lot more people (generally youth) know about the concept," she says.
Nivedita Sreenivasan feels that thrifting allows one to cleanse their closets and make way for minimal living/donations, says . "People need to open up to thrifting because we don’t wear half of our closet and very often it is just sitting there. We also have a habit of buying new clothes for every occasion so this is a good way of making some pocket money (by donating) and giving old new clothes a chance," she adds.
Where Nivedita was watching her carbon contribution, Shilpa Raghavan was taking a stand for poor labour ethics by transitioning away from fast fashion. When she came across a documentary called The True Cost, the Chennai resident was enlightened to the general working conditions in manufacturing units for name brands.
The documentary speaks of how labourers are not treated or paid well for their services and shares the story of a labourer who conveyed his conditions to a customer through a note hidden in the clothes, she informs.
"The idea is to not support these brands firsthand. We can't change everything in a day but if we start letting the brands know what kind of businesses we want to support, they may change their ideas. And I want to support Indian-made clothes and small businesses," she explains. The Clean Clothes Campaign found that a decent living wage for Indian workers in the fashion industry was 2.8 times the money they made.
The adoption of thrifting is, however, not singularly driven by ethical reasons but also aesthetic ones. Dhanasekara Pandian from the MEEL Foundation is glad to have found this sustainable method, but his first thrifted purchases years ago in Auroville were rather motivated by unique options.
"There were a lot of stalls and pop-ups that travellers would set up. The dresses were crazy. You wouldn't see such items in any other store. And the fact that they were easy on the pocket caught my interest," he shares.
Unfortunately for Dhanasekara, the introduction of stores in Chennai still didn’t amount to several options for men. But for the young concept, changes are on the horizon, says the hopeful denizen.
"This often happens because by default, men have fewer accessories. If you see, we generally think of men’s fashion only in terms of shirts, t-shirts and pants. So, there has always been a dearth of options. But now, things are starting to get exciting. There are even WhatsApp groups where you can seek a product and a team will try and find it for you. I have found some really good items for trekking from there," he mentions.
Specialised garments like these are another reason people find themselves away from the malls and on these thrift sites. Take Akshaya Nagarajan's word for it. When planning for a trip to Himachal Pradesh, the Chennaiite found that the perpetually warm city had little to offer in terms of winter clothing and what it did have was expensive.
"I needed thick clothes for the winter that would have no use in Chennai, so I bought all the coats and sweaters through thrift shops because I didn’t want to spend a lot on good quality clothes. And I know that I could resell them as well," she shares, adding that she also has encouraged several of her friends to try out thrifting.
Swearing by sustainability
Word of mouth may be bringing in some success to the adoption of thrifting in the city, but there is still a long way to go in terms of changing mindsets. Gen Z and millennials make up for most thrifting customers but there are several people - some in these generations, many, more older - who find secondhand clothing repulsive or also, unhygienic.
This may be strange to hear, considering that the practice has been a part of our culture for decades, as Vaibhavi Prakash, the co-owner of a thrift store, observes, "There is a dichotomy in the market because we (as Indians) have a culture of hand-me-downs. That's something that is ingrained in our upbringing (from one sibling to another or even amongst cousins). At the same time, we are careful about where it is coming from. So, yes, there is a lot of hesitance, but that’s where our assurance as a seller comes in."
The credibility of a vendor is an important aspect in thrifting, especially online, as people are to trust not just the quality of the items, but also the delivery process. Srini Swaminathan, a social development consultant concurs. As a buyer for 12 years who has set up pop-ups a few times, he mentions that people need convincing when it comes to thrifting.
"Assurances are important. We live in a country where paying a lot for a product does not guarantee good care and service, so it depends a lot on the credibility of the person selling," he informs. And perhaps, this is where more physical thrift stores could help the cause, he adds.
Despite the mushrooming of several independent online stores, there are only a couple of physical counterparts in here. Online shopping was more than welcome in the past two years as lockdowns forced people indoors, but as the city is opening up, there comes a need for more in-person experiences. According to Abhinaya, this is what we need to expand its scope.
"In Chennai, touch and feel of clothes is still paramount. It would do a lot better than online, where sizes and fit are still a concern. Apart from this, the city's thrift stores also lack wholesome options. Thrifting is not only apparel but anything pre-loved (furniture, decor, jewellery)," she says.
Nivedita adds that Chennai could make the most of thrift markets that can be an alternative to the exhibition culture. It's all about making it mainstream, as per Dhanasekara, who says introducing thrift stores at malls and putting them on the same platforms as existing fashion will gain them popularity.
He also adds that the future of thrifting lies in upcycling, where an object is not only reused but given more value than its earlier form. Now, thanks to these options, one has a chance to contribute more towards the environment and less to the garbage pile.
Twice Treasured (@shoptwicetreasured)
This shop is for new parents who want to purchase used baby clothes and more in prime condition. Founded by Divya Abhishek and Vaibhavi Prakash, the store encourages sustainability for kids’ products that are often outgrown in a few months.
"Many reached out to us in the pandemic when big sites couldn’t deliver. There is hesitance but that's where our assurance comes in; we’re parents too. We do detailed verification," says Divya.
Price: From Rs 350
The ReLove Closet (@therelovecloset)
Started by Sruti Ashok, who was inspired to thrift by the fashion revolution movement in Europe, The ReLove Closet offers western wear, footwear, accessories and even luxury items. Initially, the profits were donated to Covid relief and the team still hosts fundraisers.
"Fashion is now disposable. There are so many clothes a person never uses. Thrifting is a good way to circulate your items for others to appreciate," the founder notes.
Price: From Rs 500
ZIPLINE Thrift Clothing
Founded by Zaina Niyaz, the store buys excess garments from charities and upcycles some to make trendy outfits. With a physical store, the customer can also have their clothes altered. "The trend of thrifting has just started and it will take some time and awareness to change the mindset of people but we would be happy to see more people start thrift stores," says Zaina.
Price: From Rs 50.
At: B10, Elcanso Complex, Casa Major Road, Egmore
The Rebirth Collective
An initiative by Wasted 360 Solutions, this is a physical store that offers garments for men and women. During the pandemic, founder Ann Anra found a creative way to reuse the stock she was collecting. Speaking of sustainability, Ann explains, "I don’t encourage thrifting from other cities. It defeats the purpose of reducing our carbon footprint." The store is adding furniture, and accessories soon.
At: 30, Mylai Ranganathan St, Parthasarathi Puram, T Nagar