Random Post 2

 Random Post 2: Thrifting

By Daniel Leung  

I have recently really been getting into thrifting. With the Rose Bowl Flea market- a large flea market that occurs on the second Sunday of every month- coming up, I decided to talk a bit more about why I love thrifting so much. 

First, thrifting provides access to items you might not see in traditional retail stores. Often times through thrifting you can get interesting or vintage items that are near impossible to find with brand-new items in traditional retail stores. The other day I was able to find a vintage USC jacket that I have never seen before in my life. Also, sometimes you can find items that were customized by the previous owner. That makes the item unique, and one that you can only find by thrifting. The opportunity to find really interesting and special products are part of why thrifting can be so fun! Thrifting can become a social activity when with friends that is exciting and also helps you find new clothes, furniture, tools, and more. Personally, I am trying to get some new t-shirts and hoodies on my next thrift outing. Wish me luck!

Second, thrifting is cheaper than buying items at normal retail prices. Depending on where you go, usually the items you can find are cheaper than at retail. This is usually due to the pre-owned nature of the items or how the seller came to acquire the goods. Often times the seller is able to acquire the goods at a discounted rate or sometimes even free, which enables savings that are passed on to the thrifting consumers. At the Rose Bowl Flea Market, I was able to get many items for $10 or $15 despite their retail prices being much higher. One item was a white Patagonia fleece which retailed for around $90. I was able to get it for $10. This was not unusual, there were in fact many Patagonia sweaters that were being sold around that price. Plus, the prices are often flexible and you can haggle and bargain with the people selling the items. Thrifting helps save you money while you shop for new items. It’s way more affordable than buying items at retail!

Third, thrifting promotes a circular economy and is better for the environment. So many of the clothes and items that are made just go to waste even though they are perfectly usable. Just walking around the Rose Bowl Flea market two months ago I was shocked at the sheer amount of used items that were being sold. I can only imagine how many more items are going to waste and are not being resold. Instead of buying brand-new items, I think that it is better to repurchase perfectly usable pre-owned goods. Buying goods via thrifting personally makes me feel better about contributing to a more sustainable future. That’s why I like it. 

Due to these combinations of reasons, I find thrifting incredibly interesting and beneficial. I hope that you have been able to learn more about why I thrift and some of the positive gains it can bring you. Since we are in LA there are so many places that you can thrift near USC. I hope you look into it!