Clothing shopper sparks outrage over deceptive practice on popular site: 'Absolutely disgusting'

When thrifting, buyers are looking to sustainably purchase high-quality, tried-and-true articles of clothing, both vintage and modern, for low prices. Buying used saves money and gives consumers interesting pieces for their wardrobes. 

Because of fast fashion, however, poorly made pieces are flooding thrift stores. Sure, fast fashion companies including Shein sell clothes for cheap, but such low prices come with an extra cost: The clothes won't last. 

One Reddit user exposed (without outing) an online reseller for trying to pass off two Shein tops as vintage Y2K-style shirts on Vinted, a site for buying and selling clothes, shoes, and accessories. They shared the post on a thread dedicated to the secondhand shopping website.

The reseller posted the shirts, cited by the Redditor as being worth about $5-8, for $22. 

"Absolutely disgusting," the poster said. "Always check what you're buying on vinted isn't fast fashion. Wish I was able to expose her name!"

The thin-strapped halters in khaki and brown are decorated in florals and lace. They would be fun clothing pieces to own if it were not for the circumstances. Much of Shein's quickly made clothing pieces are polyester and polyamide, both of which are harmful to the environment. 

On these synthetic fabrics, Cosh says, "These economical options are notorious for discharging microplastics into our oceans and ecosystems throughout their lifecycle, exacerbating the already critical issue of plastic pollution."

Polyester production uses high amounts of energy and water. Items made with the fabric are subject to pilling, running, and pulling and are not breathable. Polyamide, too, is an unsustainable fabric, and articles made of it are subject to running. 

To sell used Shein products under false pretenses is nearly theft, and many thrifty and sustainable consumers have fallen prey to deceitful resellers. Commenters on the Reddit post were outraged. 

"Help I fell victim to this and immediately realised once I bought. Paid like £15," one commenter said. 

What's your primary motivation in shopping at thrift stores? Cheaper clothes 🤑 Trendier items 😎 Reduced environmental impact 🌎 I don't thrift 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Another pointed out the ubiquity of fast fashion on the resale site, writing: "Most clothing on Vinted is fast fashion. Ali, Temu, Shein, are amongst the worst offenders, but it's all very much fast fashion. Having said that, lying about it to extort people is truly gross."

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