More than 38,000 students attend the University of Tennessee, about two miles from River Sports Outfitters, an outdoor specialty store in Knoxville, TN. Traditionally, college students have been a reliable consumer base for River Sports, but fewer young people are walking through the doors, says store owner Ed McAlister. He suspects that more college students are shopping for clothing and gear at thrift shops and resale outlets.

“I think we’re missing the majority of the students, and I think price has a lot to do with it,” he says. “We all (outdoor retailers) have good, better, and best products, but I think even the good and better are, in many minds, too expensive, and it’s driving them to look for an alternative.”

Amy Ward, owner of Outdoor Thrift in Salt Lake City, agrees that more young outdoor enthusiasts are thrifting because they can’t afford high-quality clothing at full retail prices. They visit her online store to buy performance pieces from brands such as Patagonia, Kuhl, and Arc’teryx. “I see clothing and apparel as one of the barriers to entry into the outdoors,” she says. “My younger customers say they need to find more affordable options to be able to go out with friends and do things they love,” says Ward.

According to the ThredUp 2023 Resale Report, Generation Z and millennial consumers will account for almost two-thirds of spending on secondhand products as their purchasing power increases. Over the next three years, 41 percent of Gen Z consumers expect to increase their thrift spending, according to the Savers 2024 Thrift Industry Report.

While young people are thrifting due to price concerns, their shopping habits are also influenced by social media, changing attitudes about thrifting, and mindfulness about sustainability.

Social Media & Online Sales Drive Thrifting

The thrifting trend began to pick up steam more than 10 years ago, but the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated its growth. As people quarantined, social media influencers began posting their thrift-store finds on TikTok, which was extremely popular with members of Gen Z. Desperate for entertainment and retail therapy, young people locked onto the thrifting trend.

During the pandemic, Ward and her brother, Daniel Folsom, began selling their thrifting finds on Instagram. When they realized that people were thrilled to find clothing from high-quality outdoor brands, they created the OutdoorThirft.com website to sell things more efficiently and effectively.

Online resale venues targeting young consumers enjoyed dramatic growth throughout the pandemic and the following years. In 2021, the resale website Depop, which caters to people 18 to 26, generated $32 million in revenue. By 2023, the company’s revenue nearly doubled.

The U.S. secondhand market is now big business. In 2023, thrift, consignment, and resale stores generated about $53 billion in revenue, according to a Capital One report. By 2027, the market will reach $70 billion, and Gen Z will account for 28 percent of the sales, reports ThredUp.

Thrifting is Trendy

For young consumers, thrifting not only serves as a practical way to acquire quality goods, but it’s also an entertaining pastime. “Crews will come and just hang out in thrift stores,” says Ward, noting that she frequently sees groups of young people shopping together, swapping stories about their latest thrift finds, and talking with shop owners.

“I think what contributes to that is a feeling of camaraderie and community,” says Ward, adding that young people today perceive thrifting differently from past generations. “Thrifting isn’t icky anymore,” she says, explaining that thrifting carried negative connotations connected with poverty in the past. “It’s not really just about money,” she says. “It’s thrilling, and it helps us thrive.”

Many young thrifters love the thrill of hunting for a special piece of clothing. “You can find something unique in a world where people are trying to discover themselves, find individuality and expression,” says Ward. “They can really discover themselves at the thrift store.”

For Gen Z, a great find doesn’t have to be a high-value item in pristine condition. In fact, for some, the more dinged up, the better. “My audience loves the damaged, worn, torn piece that shows a bit of history and adventure,” says Ward. “It’s kind of a badge of honor to wear these thrifted pieces.”

Striving for Sustainability

While Gen Zers feel pride in wearing something unique, they also find satisfaction knowing that thrift stores keep clothing out of landfills and reduce waste.

“I think sustainability has something to do with it,” says McAlister of River Sports. “They think it’s better to buy something used and wear it rather than buy something new.”

According to Capital One, 64 percent of Gen Z shoppers search for an item secondhand before buying it new. For young outdoor enthusiasts, thrifting provides another means to express their values and concern for the environment, says Adams, adding, “It makes sense for those of us who value the outdoors.”