DIY: A Sustainable, Affordable Alternative
Sustainable fashion is in. The problem is that sustainable, affordable fashion can be difficult to come by, which is why a lot of Gen Z has turned to thrifting as a solution over the last few years. Thrift stores give a second life to clothes that, in many cases, would just end up in a landfill, while keeping a low price tag. They provide a much more sustainable alternative to fast fashion, a phenomenon which is responsible for massive amounts of consumption and waste. It is also better than fast fashion because in many cases, pieces that are thrifted are far higher quality and will last much longer, even in their second home, than a fast fashion item ever could.
Gen Z is especially savvy to the thrifting strategy because sustainability is such a key issue for the generation. As the youngest consumer generation, they also tend to have the least amount of money to spend, and they are just as affected by rising costs as everyone else. This is probably why over a quarter of Gen Z buyers will get an item that is out of budget by thrifting, according to the 2023 Instagram Trend Report.
There are a couple problems when it comes to thrifting; first, that while there is something for everyone at the thrift stores, it is often difficult to find something that fits or looks exactly right, or fits the vision that you had. This is why more and more people are turning to DIY alterations in order to make clothing fit their personal style. In fact, according to the 2023 Instagram Trend Report, more than half of Gen Z plans to DIY their clothes in the coming year.
DIYing clothing is a sustainable way to give a new life to pieces and to cultivate unique and personal pieces in a world of increasingly individualistic styles. Of course, there are very simple DIY projects that we have probably all done at one point or another, such as cropping t-shirts or cutting pants into shorts. DIY can, however, also be a way to make high end trends accessible to a lower budget.
Take, for example, Lily Chapman (@ebc.jpg on TikTok and @ebcjpg2 on Instagram) who has built a social media presence on thrifting and sewing clothing to fit her personal style. In one of her most popular videos on TikTok, she explains that a dress she is making cost her $5, took about 10 minutes, and is a personal version of a $200 dress that is custom fitted to her, so she “likes it even more.” At Paris fashion week for spring of 2022, Chapman wore exclusively thrifted and DIY clothes, including an outfit that landed her in an article by Vogue listing the best street style of Paris Fashion Week.
Her successful platform shows not only that it is possible to sustainably and cheaply make highly fashionable, personalized pieces, but also that this type of resourcefulness is what is important to young people right now. Her followers watch her content because they like her, but also because they aspire to do what she is doing too, at least on some level. By promoting sustainable fashion and even sourcing sustainable merchandise for her fans, Chapman is acutely tuned in to the fashion content of the future.
It is important to note that another problem that is often brought up when it comes to thrifting is that when so many people are buying from thrift stores, the rising prices mean that low income people who rely on stores like GoodWill and the Salvation Army won’t be able to afford them anymore. This issue, however, is not because there is a lack of supply, considering about 85% of clothing ends up in landfills, and the average American throws away 81 pounds of clothing each year, as per the Public Interest Research Group. Instead of discouraging people from using thrift stores, we should discourage thrift stores from raising prices when so many people rely on these places for safe and warm clothing.
Thrifting and DIYing clothing is an excellent solution for four reasons. Firstly, it allows for ultra-personalized items that look good because they are tailored to fit the person wearing them. Second, it allows for a much wider pool of people that can afford to access high end trends without breaking their wallet. Third, it is a sustainable way to access fashion, an industry that is responsible for a huge percentage of pollution and waste on the planet. Finally, by placing the power of fashion into the hands of individuals, power is taken away from exploitative fashion companies whose only goal is to drive consumerism and make money, without any regard for the longevity of the products they create or the planet that they are harming.