A $15 Renaissance Faire outfit is putting a spotlight on a new massive Goodwill and the recent uptick in thrifting among today's youth.
The outfit in question came from a newly opened, 19,000-square-foot Goodwill in Deptford, New Jersey. Gen Z shoppers have been showing up in large numbers for low-cost clothes, shoes, decor, toys, and media.
As first reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer, 19-year-old Mia Garcia pieced together her look with a tank top, a white open-back shirt, a maroon cardigan, and white tights. It all cost just $15.
In its first 12 days, the store averaged nearly 600 customers a day, over double the traffic at a smaller nearby location that recently closed. Shoppers have spent about $31 per visit on average, and the store maintains more than 40,000 items on the floor.
The Inquirer, citing The New York Times, reported that Goodwill brought in more than $7 billion last year. It also noted that the U.S. resale market outpaced the apparel market overall in the same amount of time.
Garcia said, "It's definitely cheaper and easier to find older-style clothes."
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For many shoppers, thrifting is becoming a practical way to cope with rising costs. Garcia's friend Salsbee Jahan told The Philadelphia Inquirer they've both been thrifting more because "everything is going up" in price.
In a single trip, families can often find clothing, toys, DVDs, shoes, and home goods for a fraction of what they would pay buying new. There is also the thrill of uncovering rare or valuable items at steep discounts.
Thrifting also helps keep usable goods in circulation longer and reduces demand for production.
As Mark Boyd, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia, put it, "I really think thrifting is like one of the most human experiences you're going to have, and it's a great shopping experience."
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