By Laetithia Harb
Thrifting, a shopping option that many have been continuously seeking for the past couple of years. In Denmark and Copenhagen – the most sustainable fashion city in the world as dubbed by Departures magazine – this trend is now affecting the fast fashion sector.
Thrift shopping has always been a fun way of purchasing. Looking for a unique piece? Thrift shops. Looking for good quality items? Thrift shops. Looking for cheaper alternatives? Thrift shops. It has taken over the world, and people from all ages enjoy the experience.
However, not everyone prefers this type of shopping.
Rikke Dam, a student who resides in Copenhagen, says, “I buy a lot of my basics new as I find it easier and nicer to shop from brands, but then if I want something more special I go to secondhand shops.”
Even though many still prefer shopping new and trendy items, the hype behind thrifting has always been a thing in Denmark and these days, it seems to be affecting fast fashion businesses more.
Anja Jonassen, the manager at Monki in central Copenhagen says, “We see that people are buying less from our stores, and the traffic is dropping with only 16% of costumers who come in to the store ending up buying something.”
That means that many people are working on incorporating more sustainability in their daily lives, and the first step for them is by changing their shopping habits.
Rory McCarthy, a student on exchange in Denmark, thinks of thrift shopping as the best deal to find cheaper, better pieces to wear, and the more sustainable option to help save the planet. He says, “Even if I had all the money in the world, I would still go secondhand shopping.”