Shopper sounds off on upsetting trend occurring in thrift stores: 'You'd think they'd be better about that'

One angry shopper took to Reddit to complain when what should have been an exciting trip to a new thrift store took a disappointing turn.

"Went to a new thrift store. Never going back," they said. "Charging insane prices for fast fashion."

Fast fashion — a slew of quickly produced, cheaply made garments that have hit the markets in recent years — is a massive problem for consumers and the planet. These clothes aren't made with long-term use in mind. They encourage buyers to spend, spend, spend, chasing short-lived fads, and to reinforce that, the clothes fall apart after being worn just a few times.

The amount of materials and energy used to churn out so many unnecessary clothes is also hard on the planet and generates pollution, and so do the synthetic materials used when the discarded clothes inevitably end up in landfills.

Some brands — such as Shein and Forever 21 — are notorious for fast fashion. The original poster encountered both on their trip to the thrift store and shared photos in their post.

Normal thrift store prices for tops are in the single digits — sometimes as low as $2 or $3 — which is what makes thrift shopping so great for consumers in ordinary circumstances. But at this new store, this thrifter found a Forever 21 top or dress for $40 and a Shein sweater for $18.

Commenters were disgusted.

"I would review them on Google so the masses know what they be charging for 'fast fashion,'" one user suggested.

"I've seen [Shein] at Plato's Closet, which is supposed to be a bit more curated, for basically what it cost new," another commenter said. "Absolutely ridiculous."

"You'd think they'd be better about that," the original poster replied.

Luckily, there are still many thrift stores out there fulfilling their original mission of saving shoppers money and reducing waste. You can make a plan to visit the ones in your area to start saving.

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.

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