I’m a big thrifter. Seriously, 85% of my wardrobe has come from thrifting. In part, it is because the clothes are unique and have personality. Mostly, though, it’s because I’m broke.

That is what makes thrifting so important — it is affordable. That is the entire point. So when people go to local thrift stores, buy all these great clothes for low prices and then resell them on Depop for triple the price, it ruins the entire point of thrifting.

There is a lot of controversy around the ethics of reselling. Those in support of it say it is a real job requiring time and effort. Resellers have to get to thrift stores as soon as they open, fight for the best/name-brand clothes and then model them and put them on their website. It offers flexible hours, allowing people of any age an opportunity to make money and helps fight fast fashion by giving people curated, vintage options.

While I agree that picking through entire stores to find quality clothes and running a small business does require work, it is simply too unethical to support when resellers source from local thrift stores. Resellers make money by overcharging for cheap clothing. They often clear out thrift stores of quality items before others have time to get there. They ruin the experience for others and prevent those who rely on the stores’ lower prices from buying nice clothing.

One unique quality of thrift stores is that, theoretically, anyone could find a gem. You could find  Juicy Couture sweatpants for $3 or an Eddie Bower sweater for $10. Everyone has the chance to save money without giving up quality. This is an opportunity that resellers take away.

Some people argue that thrifting as a trend is already ruining it for those who rely on thrift stores, so why attack resellers? While it is true that secondhand shopping has become a big trend, especially amongst Generation Z, consumers who thrift for themselves aren’t the issue.

There is also the argument that thrift stores are running out of good clothes, so only those who need to shop there should. Thrift stores are not running out of supply. Charity stores only sell around 20% of donated clothes, with the rest ending up in landfills. The quality of clothes being donated may be going down as items from Shein and Temu trickle their way into Goodwill racks, but the amount being donated isn’t.

With this information in mind, consumers should thrift when they can without the fear of stealing clothes from others. Going to thrift stores to buy a few items, in your size, that you’ll wear, isn’t an issue. In fact, it can be helpful.

Thrifting supports a circular clothing economy and is simply better for the environment. It saves clothes from going to the dump and supports small businesses, rather than greedy fast fashion organizations. It helps people discover their true style outside of current trends. Best of all, the thrifting trend helps to destigmatize something that may have previously been ridiculed and mocked.

This being said, issues occur when resellers enter the picture. They aren’t only buying items for themselves, but instead buying stock for their future profit.

Reselling doesn’t have to be unethical, but it is dependent on where the clothes are sourced from. When resellers source their clothes from liquidators, bins and wholesalers, I can appreciate their business because they aren’t taking directly from citizens. They are repurposing clothes that otherwise would have gone to the dump.

Conversely, I believe reselling crosses the line when resellers buy all the ‘best’ clothes from local stores, where low-income consumers shop. Resellers with a niche, like clothes of a certain size or from a particular brand, are more sustainable and less problematic than those who leave the store with 100 items they plan to overcharge buyers for.

When people can’t buy cheap clothes that they like at thrift stores, guess where they go? Fast fashion. In their efforts to encourage second-hand shopping, resellers can actually contribute to the fast fashion epidemic, which is problematic for more reasons than I can count.

I understand the perspective of resellers and can see why the job is a great opportunity for many. I simply ask that resellers don’t source their stock from local thrift stores and charity shops. These are places where low-income individuals and families shop for necessities, and where others take time out of their day to search for clothing they will cherish. If you’re going to resell clothes, go right ahead, but stay out of local stores.