Thrifting as Resistance: How Secondhand Shopping Fuels the Movement

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Thrifting as Resistance: How Secondhand Shopping Fuels the Movement
Photo by Prudence Earl / Unsplash

A big thank you to the community member who offered to contribute this article!

Every purchase is a political act. How we spend our money matters, as much as where we march or how we vote. One of the most underrated, accessible, and impactful forms of economic resistance is thrifting.

1. Thrifting Supports Boycotts and Economic Blackouts

There are many calls for boycotts and economic blackouts, especially as we approach Black Friday and Cyber Monday. While we may passionately want to support a boycott or economic blackout, It may not be practical to buy nothing. Thrifting lets us participate in economic protest without sacrificing practicality. 

2. Thrift Stores Often Fund Community Charities

Unlike big-box retailers, many thrift stores directly fund nonprofits that support the very people most targeted by the current administration's cruel policies. Local charity thrift stores use store proceeds to fund food pantries, job training, housing assistance, refugee support, youth programs, and other social service safety nets. A dollar spent in a nonprofit thrift store is a dollar toward these programs. Shopping secondhand is solidarity through spending. (Note: while Savers is a very popular secondhand store, it is a for-profit store.)

3. Thrifting Is Sustainable and Eco-Friendly

Fast fashion and mass production are among the biggest drivers of climate change and waste, issues worsened by corporate deregulation and climate denialism. Thrifting, on the other hand, keeps clothing, furniture, and goods out of landfills, reduces demand for new manufacturing, and cuts the carbon footprint of our consumption. Thrifting is a quiet, radical rejection of hyper-consumerism, which exploits both people and the planet. 

4. Affordable and Tariff-Free

The Trump-era trade wars have increased prices for basic goods. Thrifting sidesteps that entirely. When you buy secondhand, there are no tariffs, no corporate markups, no hidden exploitation—just good items at fair prices.

5. Thrifting Is Everyday Activism

Not everyone can attend every protest or strike, but everyone can participate in economic resistance. Thrifting is an act of activism, solidarity, and defiance. And, thrifting is mutual aid in practice.

So next time you need something, before heading to Amazon or Target or Home Depot, check your local thrift store. Or better yet, create your holiday shopping list and head to a thrift store. You won't just find a bargain; you'll be building a better world.

Here are a few nonprofit thrift stores to start your thrifting journey. Please check their websites for the most current hours of operation:

Have an addition to this list? Let us know!