Once synonymous with bargain hunting and affordability, thrift shopping is undergoing a transformation, one that is leaving some shoppers questioning whether second-hand fashion is still the cheaper alternative it once was.

Across Australia, the second-hand clothing market is booming.

A report by Credence Research projects the sector will double in value over the next eight years, reflecting a surge in demand driven by sustainability trends, social media, and changing consumer habits.

But as interest grows, so too do the prices.

For regular thriftier Keerthi Murugann, second-hand shopping has long been both a necessity and a preference.

As a first-year university student, she says she has been thrifting “ever since [she] had money,” drawn to its affordability and environmental benefits.

“With thrifting you don’t really find anything that anyone else is wearing and it is often a lot cheaper and a lot more reasonable,” she says.

However, she has noticed a clear shift.

“Vinnies and Salvos are getting more expensive, but still affordable,” she says.

“If they think it’s a good item, they will mark it up like $20 to $25, which in my opinion is ridiculous. And the vintage boutiques are outrageous, $70 or $80 for the smallest top.”

Ms Murugann believes rising prices are largely driven by trends. She says thrifting has become way more trendy, particularly with the popularity of vintage and early 2000s fashion, allowing niche stores to profit from demand.

“I think thrifting has two purposes,” she says.

“It’s for people who can’t access new clothes, and also for people who are looking for original pieces… but right now it’s too trending. It is losing its genuineness.”

Her experience reflects a broader shift, as more shoppers turn to thrift stores not just out of necessity, but as a fashion choice.

Perth-based content creator Aurelia Putri thrifts and resells on Depop and her own website. She says social media has played a significant role in the popularity of vintage pieces.

“I post hauls and people get interested in the concept of thrifting,” she says.

“They have the need to find what I find.”

As both a consumer and seller, Ms Putri sees how value is shaped not just by the item itself but by trends and presentation.

“I basically look at the demand. Some brands are higher in demand and sourcing them is really hard, especially in Australia,” she says.

She says she also compares prices with other sellers, often trying to keep her items “cheaper and more affordable” to sell quickly.

However, she acknowledges the tension within resale culture.

“There are problems with some resellers, people who drive it up like crazy, hundreds of dollars when they spent like $5,” she says.

“We should make it accessible for everyone”.

Ms Putri says even she has stepped back from traditional thrift stores due to rising prices.

“I stopped going to thrift stores because of the crazy prices,” she says, instead sourcing items from overseas, despite high shipping costs.

She also points to what she describes as the “invisible labour” behind reselling: time spent sourcing, cleaning, and preparing items, which she believes is often overlooked by consumers.

For store owners, rising prices are not always about profit, but about supply and demand.

Kiana Tierney, owner of KICO Closet, has been thrifting and reselling since 2020 and running her physical store for the past year.

She says increased popularity has naturally driven prices up, pointing to inflation and broader cost-of-living pressures.

“The demand and the fact that it is more trendy… people become more interested in it, which drives the prices up,” she says.

Ms Tierney says pricing is largely based on experience.

“Over the years of knowing what price point sells well for specific items and brands… you learn from that,” she says.

While her store is more expensive than traditional charity shops, she says that reflects its curated nature.

“My store is definitely more curated… we kind of have the best of the best here, hence the little bit more of the price,” she says, adding that most items are still significantly cheaper than buying new.

She also rejects the idea resellers are solely to blame.

“In general, thrifting has grown in demand and become more popular, it is not just resellers,” she says.

“It’s demand and stores realising the value.”

Associate Professor of Consumer Behaviour and Marketing at Curtin University Isaac Cheah says the shift reflects a broader change in how second-hand clothing is perceived.

“Second-hand items have always been an additional resource for people who can’t afford [new clothing],” he says.

“But in the current cost-of-living climate, people are wanting more options, and second-hand clothing is naturally becoming that alternative.”

Dr Cheah explains increasing demand, combined with changing perceptions, has created what he describes as a “melting pot” of reasons behind the sector’s growth.

“It is no longer being seen as a sub-par flea market,” he says. “It’s an actual shopping experience that these stores are trying to create.”

He adds the concept of “vintage” has played a key role in reshaping value.

“When I think vintage, I think retro, exclusiveness,” he says, noting the unpredictability of second-hand stock adds to its appeal.

“Every now and then you find these exclusive pieces”

Dr Isaac Cheah

He says this turn has transformed thrifting from a purely functional activity into something more aligned with identity and lifestyle.

“It has always been functional, but now we are moving more into a lifestyle, something people can do easily.”

However, this evolution raises questions about accessibility.

As second-hand fashion becomes more commercialised, those who once relied on it for affordability may find themselves priced out.

For Ms Murugann, that tension is already visible.

“It’s still cheap,” she says, “but not always. You have to look harder now.”