We get it; shopping at a thrift store didn’t used to be cool. Used clothes? In the past, that would’ve been an “Eww.”

But we’re smarter and better these days. Now, the coolest people shop secondhand (if we do say so ourselves). At ThriftTale, we’re proud to turn it around and make our thrift store your first stop for fashion.

 

The old thrift store stigma

Shopping at a thrift store used to have a bit of a stigma. But it’s a bit deeper than not just being cool.

 

The struggle.

In our lifetime, we’ve grown up in a world shaped by generations who were deprived and rationed. They reused, they made do, and they never had the option to indulge in anything new.

So, secondhand stuff was associated with struggling. Being seen in a thrift store labeled you as living in poverty and being unable to afford what you need. You certainly wouldn’t have had a choice in what you bought.

 

The boom.

Then, the post-WWII era brought an economic boom that revolutionized global production, lowered costs, and gave normal people their own spending power.

Those generations who struggled were suddenly launched into a brand-new world of consumerism.

As televisions shone adverts for bright new things straight into their living room, they were sold not just products, but an idea of a better life. “You don’t need to struggle anymore; buying this new thing will make you look better than your neighbors!”. The tangible idea of buying brand-new luxury was hard to resist for anymore.

If we can get anything we want, brand new, why not? Why take something that’s already worn or used? Nobody wanted to look poor.

So malls and the high street were In; shopping at a thrift store was Out.

 

The fallout.

But, we all know how that escalated. Exponential production, our own overconsumption, and the devastation it caused to our environment.

The fashion industry churns out more carbon than all the international flights and shipping routes combined. We have more clothes than we can ever wear. And we’re flooded with soulless, fast fashion designed to be discarded. Landfills pile up as we’re buried in the desire to buy new things.

It’s not us who are struggling now; it's our planet.

 

The rebound.

Which brings us back around.

With hindsight, we can see what’s actually important. That having only brand-new stuff isn’t necessarily aspirational anymore. That shopping secondhand in a thrift store is what actually makes you cool, because you’re making a better, conscious choice.

And that wearing clothes made with quality, care, and individuality feels far better than being part of a fleeting trend.

 

The trend.

Since 2020, the interest in thrifting has really taken off. The world has been through a lot, and we’re all more conscious of our choices now.

If you’re lucky, you’ll have friends who share your excitement about visiting a thrift store, too. You can dive in together and compare your best finds at the end. “Isn’t it cool? Look what we got!”.

And if you don’t, we’ve got social media to connect to a whole world of secondhand fans. Thrifting has become more than a purchasing choice; it’s become a hobby we take part in like any other; we plan for it, we anticipate, and we’re always leaving it on a high. We can share our best finds in TikTok trends or on Instagram. This nostalgic revival is our favorite feeling at ThriftTale.

Because those that get it, get it. And those that don’t? We’re working on it.

 

How we’re making your thrifting experience better

Giving up buying clothes is a nice idea. It’s obviously the most sustainable option. But realistically? We couldn’t do it.

Clothes mean way more to us than just stuff to wear. They’re part of our lives, identities, cultures, and hobbies. You feel happier when you put on something you like.

And sometimes, you just desire a bit of old-fashioned retail therapy.

 

Always on-trend.

In our thrift store, you still get to indulge in all that, without the drag of outdated stuff.

It takes a while for fashion to go through the cycle of current to outdated, to nostalgic to trendy. It’s that stuff that’s recently outdated that shows up in an ordinary thrift store. But we know you’re not ready to wear that again yet.

• We only pick the best stuff that we know you’ll want.
• The iconic styles from the best decades, and the classic brands.
• Whether that’s an old faithful like Levi’s 501s, your seasonal desire to own a chunky Aran knit, or your current love of the 00s revival trend.

So, those flared jeans you’ve seen trending? They’ve been around in the 70s and 90s. This time, you can wear a 2020s trend from its original inspiration in our vintage collection.

 

We’re clean and organized.

We’ve all thrifted something that smells a bit musty, like it’s been stored in an old attic for 30 years. You won’t get that here.

• The clothes in our thrift store are washed and ready to wear.

 

You can find something that’s unique and for life.

Everything you’ll find in our store is the best of our vintage and secondhand selections. It’s the difference between searching rails and rails in a thrift store for one decent-looking thing, and every hanger holding a total banger in ours.

• Our stuff is always the quality that was made for life. They’re substantial in design and style.

High-quality fabrics that don’t wear or stretch out, or the vintage standards of being double lined with pockets and detailed fastenings. It’s the kind of thing you just can’t buy in fast fashion.

• One-of-a-kind clothes, with their own unique vibe to match yours.

Rare designer pieces, handmade vintage, and iconic collections from your favorite brands. It’s stuff you feel excited to wear.

 

We’re cheaper than sustainable brands.

In a perfect world, all new clothes would be made in a way that's good for the planet and the people who make them. But let's face it: making clothes ethically and sustainably is expensive. Which leaves a lot of us unable to afford what is.

And even then, new clothes are still more new clothes being made in a world with billions of good ones already.

That's where we come in.

• We believe everyone should have access to sustainable fashion at a reasonable price.
• We’re sustainable without the expense of production. Keeping our costs to you lower.
• You’ll find vintage, branded, and designer clothes at fast fashion prices.

 

Is our thrift store sustainable, too?

We're all about reducing textile waste and making fashion more sustainable. We rescue clothes that would otherwise end up in landfills or get destroyed.

Those billions of clothes out there already? There are millions more pumping out pollution from their production every week.

• By keeping old clothes in use, our thrift store stops them from being dumped.
• By shopping with us, we all help lower the demand for new clothes to be made.

With so much of the stuff out there being made of polyester, a plastic fiber that can neither decompose nor be fully recycled, the only real way to recycle is to re-wear.

 

Here’s what we do on top:

• Our thrift stores are in city centers, so you can visit us by climate-neutral transport.
• At our online store, we only ship with partners aligned with our goal to reduce emissions.
• We use recycled shipping materials.

It’s our little ways to work towards a bigger change.

 

Ready to thrift with us?

Let's share the thrifting fun together.

• Browse our online thrift store, with next-day delivery and free returns.
• Visit our thrift stores in Utrecht and Enschede to experience your best sustainable shopping, without the struggle.