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Secondhand Sunday: Thrifting for gifting grows in popularity
National Secondhand Sunday offers a chance for shoppers to discover unique items, and forgo expensive, lower-quality items that are made en masse today.
SAN FRANCISCO - It’s a national movement. An effort to get folks to embrace what’s old --as new again.
National Secondhand Sunday offers a chance for shoppers to discover unique items and forgo expensive, lower-quality items that are made en masse today.
After Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, Secondhand Sunday is an opportunity to embrace the holiday gifting season economically and environmentally.
At the Goodwill store in Berkeley, sales associate Michael Abboud says the thrifting business is doing well.
"It’s definitely busier than an average Sunday," he said.
Closet clean-outs are what make the circular economy happen.
"A lot of people have been very generous since I’ve been here with donations. The empathy and caring they’re showing is heartwarming," said Abboud.
Shoppers seem to like the adventure as well.
Mary Rose Jordan was shopping the vintage racks with her daughter.
"I love going with my kids vintage shopping. It’s really fun," she said.
Jordan’s three kids are in their twenties. She shared that they love secondhand clothes.
"They buy leather jackets, blazers, shoes, sometimes, Doc Martins," said Jordan.
Valencia Street in San Francisco is a popular go-to spot for thrifting and secondhand shopping. This collective pop-up happens on Sundays.
Matthew Oglesby is a contractor during the week, but his side hustle is selling vintage workwear. He says business is good. Oglesby owns Pillowfight Vintage and sells online as well as at the popup vintage market on Valencia Street.
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When asked why he thinks what’s old is new again, he said, "I think it’s just the style. People want that cool, old stuff. A lot of new brands are trying to recreate that, by making jeans ripped, and you’re buying them brand new for $100 and they’re ripped. You can get a vintage pair like that from the seventies that are classic."
Neatly folded faded Levi’s jeans were stacked neatly on the table in front of his stall with a sign reading "Levi’s $20."
Oglesby says with fast fashion ending up in landfills, vintage is what shoppers want, sharing, "It’s fashion. Trends keep rotating. People are into the nineties right now, like big, baggy jeans. I’m more of a ’70s, '80s workwear kind of guy."
National Secondhand Sunday is not just about fashion, it’s good for the environment. Oglesby says it offers an adventure and a good time for the vendors.
"We’ve made a great community of people doing these markets, and it’s just fun! We’re all about secondhand sustainability. Reusing old stuff and make a little bit of money on the side, but mostly it’s fun to do this."
Jewelry maker Danielle Huang of San Francisco says having a personalized style just makes sense. Her business is Broken Pebble Studio and she sells handmade silver jewelry with precious gems that end up as rings, bracelets, necklaces and pins.
She customizes pieces and shared she is a teacher as well as an artist who embraces the concept of upcycling, saying, "I think it’s just good for the earth, and it’s also amazing to wear stuff nobody else has."
Whether you’re buying for yourself or a gift for someone else, choose carefully, as many times, secondhand items can’t be returned, but they can be re-gifted.
Otherwise, that gift might just end up back in the donation pile.
Alice Wertz is a freelance reporter with KTVU Fox 2 News. She can be reached at Alice.Wertz@Fox.com