Secondhand culture is all the hype these days, with youths turning to secondhand stores in replacement of fast fashion. I mean, just look around and you'll notice a resurgence of secondhand clothing stores emerging in unexpected corners, both online and physical spaces.
So, why shop secondhand? A 28-year-old frequent secondhand store shopper shares that she shops for the option of “having rarer unique clothes instead of sustainability”. While another 25-year-old thrift-enthusiast shops secondhand to “one day eradicate fast fashion from her wardrobe completely.”
In general, there are two main reasons that have led to the uprising of secondhand stores: first, the growing trend among youths, especially Gen Zs, who embrace it as a fashion statement (Y2K girlies, holler), and second, the utilisation of secondhand clothing as a means to bring awareness to conscious shopping and the detrimental environmental impacts of the fast fashion industry.
Although, it’s worth mentioning that secondhand culture is nothing new. Its roots trace back to the 19th century, providing individuals with budget-friendly alternatives to new products. What’s different now is that in the past, it was never considered a fashion statement and merely existed to make lives easier.
And the truth is, fabric waste has been piling up in landfills for as long as we know it, and the full extent of this issue often escapes our notice in day-to-day life. It is said that out of 100 billion garments produced annually, a staggering 90 million tonnes end up discarded and thrown into landfills. And if the world refuses to get their act together, projections suggest that this situation will only worsen, with the annual discarded waste increasing to a crazy 134 million tonnes by the end of the decade.
So, are these youth-owned secondhand stores a feasible solution against textile waste? We find out more from three seasoned secondhand stores – Loop Garms, Kaeru Thrift and Honsieponsie – about the motivation behind each of their successful ventures, and how they’re contributing in their own unique ways.
Tracing back to the beginning, where it all began
Owned by Isaac and FJ, both 32 this year, Loop Garms is a pop-culture-led secondhand store in Singapore. Walking in, we were greeted by elements of nostalgia – think 80s, 90s, and 00s toys, cartoon characters that you've already forgotten about, old mobile phones, and more. The store has been around for a long six years.
“Back in the day, streetwear brands were all the hype. One day, we chanced upon a YouTube video of three American dudes talking about vintage snapbacks. At that point of time, we viewed streetwear from a point of view focused on brand and aesthetic, but these guys took these old hats and told us a story – the tags, the stitching, where it's from, why these details were significant at that point of time. Then we were like, wow. I mean, we already knew things have history but them going so technical and deep, it really struck a chord with us. That’s where we started our venture into vintage. Then we visited Japan, and the staff in stores really defined good customer service for us. They were very willing to go all out to share their interest and passion behind each piece of clothing. That’s when I told FJ, when we head back to Singapore, let’s do something like this,” Isaac shares.
We just want to say that when we first started the store six years ago, we did it out of passion for vintage clothing and not with the desire to save the earth.
Though Loop Garms often gets praised for helping the environment as the nature of their store is dealing with secondhand clothing, it was never their intention to become green warriors when they started Loop Garms. “We just want to say that when we first started the store six years ago, we did it out of passion for vintage clothing and not with the desire to save the earth. But we have people coming up to us to tell us we’re doing a great thing and that we are eco warriors. We are of course very happy to be part of the solution, but we will never claim to have come from that angle,” says FJ.
On the other hand, Portia of Kaeru Thrift and Hon from Honsieponsie take a different stance.
The one moment that stuck with me was when I was thrifting at Lucky Plaza and realised that the cashier table was not actually a table but a plank of wood being held up with clothing.
Kaeru Thrift is a newly-opened secondhand store at Haji Lane, established by owner Portia, 30. You’ll be able to find vintage secondhand clothing from Japan there at affordable prices. Portia opened the store because she was determined to make a positive impact on the environment. “I’ve always been interested in climate action but struggled to find where I can fit in. But now, I think Kaeruthrift is one of those places. Seeing the extent of textile waste with my own eyes really made me think that I needed to do something about this. The one moment that stuck with me was when I was thrifting at Lucky Plaza and realised that the cashier table was not actually a table but a plank of wood being held up with clothing. That's when I realised there's just so much clothes in existence, even with vintage clothing, so I think there's really no point in making new stuff,” Portia shares.
At that moment, I realised we’re kinda screwed at this rate and we should do something about it.
Founded by Hon, 23, Honsieponsie is a secondhand clothing store with all sorts of good finds – from old graphic Ts, Austrian tyrolean shirts and midi skirts to old denim, 2000s caps, and bags. Initially, Hon was just exploring alternative and affordable fashion options for himself. “This started off as a hobby. Back in Junior College, I started to explore fashion styles. It was then I realised that conventional fashion can be quite expensive. My family frequents Malaysia and there are a lot of thrift stores there where you can find things that are cheap and still fashionable. And that’s something I found very enjoyable, so I started to thrift a lot and explore different thrift places in Singapore. After my National Service, I started to curate and sell clothing online. Also, there was once where myself and another thrift store owner duo went through almost 3000 kilogrammes of clothing that was about to be sent to a landfill in Japan. At that moment, I realised we’re kinda screwed at this rate and we should do something about it. That’s when my passion became stronger,” Hon shares.
Unveiling the challenges
It hasn’t been a walk in the park for these businesses either. The obstacles encountered by each store owner underscore the inherent costs of defying the norm – from navigating supply chains and handling costs, to cultivating a customer base that sees the value in garments over fleeting trends.
...perhaps to them that’s too much work because they could just go to Supreme and buy a box logo and that does all the talking for them.
“Catering to Singapore’s market is very difficult. What we notice is a lot of Singaporeans are price-led or brand-led. If you’re selling something intangible like the stories behind clothing, perhaps to them that’s too much work because they could just go to Supreme and buy a box logo and that does all the talking for them. Of course, there’s also nothing wrong with that. But that’s our struggle,” Isaac says.
It's not enough for me to just be climate neutral, because I definitely think that businesses can be a force for good, which is the main reason why I want to do this.
With limited resources, Portia finds it challenging to ensure each step of her business aligns with her personal values and goals. “One of the bigger challenges is definitely us being constrained by the logistics that exist now. Examples are how electric vehicle delivery is not the norm, and the impact of emissions involved in shipping or freight. It is those constraints that I have to take into consideration when I'm making decisions for the store. It's not enough for me to just be climate neutral, because I definitely think that businesses can be a force for good, which is the main reason why I want to do this. Although this sometimes comes as a personal cost, but I rather my business line up with my principles,” Portia says.
Hon juggled the cost of business and trying to keep prices low for customers. “We don't call ourselves a thrift store because that definition comes with having cheap items and I'll admit not all of the items here are affordable. But we try to keep our prices reasonable when we can. It’s hard for us to be thrift stores because we put in a lot of effort into picking our pieces and I think that's something a lot of people don't see and that's unfortunate. But I think a lot of Singapore’s secondhand stores are finding ways to give people better things and better prices,” he shares.
Diverse paths, unified contributions
Despite their differences, these youth-led stores definitely share a common consensus: building a platform for the circular economy to thrive, in their own unique ways.
We have probably seen an item worn, sold, and bought again by another customer several times.
In the 19th Century, hand-me-downs were a common practice within people of different communities and societies. Similarly, Loop Garms is building that very community where clothing can find new life and owners. “Loop Garms is self explanatory. It is the idea of staying in the loop. We build a community and you guys are all part of it. That's our version of circular fashion. We also buy, sell and trade over here so their items find a new owner and the clothing stays in the community’s loop. We have probably seen an item worn, sold, and bought again by another customer several times,” Isaac of Loop Garms says.
I really hope Kaeru can be part of the shift in how Singaporeans view their relationship with clothes. To see it as something more sacred, instead of something you just use and throw or give in to trends.
Ultimately, fashion is also a very personal relationship we have with ourselves, our bodies, and our wardrobes. And Portia understands this fully. Before anything, she believes that improving the relationship we have with our wardrobes can be a game changer in this subject of sustainability. “First of all, you need to know yourself in order to dress in a way that makes you happy and confident. I really hope Kaeru can be part of the shift in how Singaporeans view their relationship with clothes. To see it as something more sacred, instead of something you just use and throw or give in to trends. And trends also drive overconsumption and overproduction so it will be quite unethical to our vision. Clothes can also be art, and since there are people making it, we gotta respect them too. With that mindset, I think one will naturally start to shift away from fast fashion,” Portia explains.
We’ve all probably heard of the famous catchphrase, reduce, reuse, recycle. But in Hon’s perspective, it goes more like this: reuse, reuse, reuse. “I don’t believe in this (reduce, reuse, recycle) because at the end of the day, they're still putting in materials and extra resources like energy and water into the production of new garments so that's not something I’ll call sustainable. However, what a lot of these secondhand stores are doing is that we are mostly reusing and giving clothing a second life. In that sense, I would say we are the most sustainable way of consuming fashion because we are just using what’s already in existence to prevent it from being filled in landfills,” he says.
So, a rebellion or a trendy pursuit – how do these stores see themselves in the bigger picture?
Loop Garms declines either side, saying “We’re neither a rebellion nor a trendy pursuit, our store is just an appreciation for what has been.”
Portia, however, takes a stance, saying “Kaeru Thrift is a rebellion against fast fashion. We’re all about seeing the potential in garments and developing your own personal style.”
Hon embraces both directions, “For us, we are both a rebellion, as well as a trendy pursuit that I think will last because people buy into it knowing it’s more sustainable and affordable. It’s an enjoyable experience that is good for the environment.”
Nevertheless, at the end of the day, the side they choose doesn't really matter. What's undeniable is that these young entrepreneurs are reshaping the narrative, making secondhand fashion the new norm rather than just an alternative choice – or at least shedding a fresh light on secondhand clothing in their own unique ways. Whether their initial plan was to be sustainability superheroes or to pursue a venture to fuel their passion for fashion, we're all for any positive impact.
So the next time you're looking to switch up your wardrobe, why not consider paying these stores a visit instead? Who knows, you might get hooked, all while saving the earth, one garment at a time.
