Rethinking Fashion: The Future of Sustainable Thrifting
BY
CHONG XIN YING
Deputy Editor
Hype Issue #79
Published on:
Dec 15
2025
Follow Chong Xin Ying as she examines Singapore’s thrift scene and the challenges of keeping it sustainable.
On a quiet afternoon at The Fashion Pulpit, customers are sifting through organised racks of second-hand clothes. Some browse slowly, while others arrive with bags of their own clothes, ready to swap them out for new pieces.
Even as fashion trends in Singapore continue to shift rapidly, thrift stores like The Fashion Pulpit are holding firm to their mission of sustainability.
In 2024 alone, the National Environment Agency reported that the nation generated 206,000 tonnes of textile and leather waste, with only about 3.4 per cent being recycled. Amid such concerns about overconsumption and textile waste, Singapore’s growing thrift scene has become more relevant than ever.
The rise of curated thrift boutiques and social-media-driven trends are reshaping perceptions of second-hand shopping, and bringing it to centre stage.
Facilitating Sustainability
Qaisara Binte Mohamad Noor, 26, a Circular Fashion Hub Supervisor from The Fashion Pulpit, states that sustainability begins with cultivating positive community habits.
“The Fashion Pulpit [aims] to reduce textile waste through clothes swapping, thrifting, reworking, and also education,” she explains. In addition to functioning as a thrift store, The Fashion Pulpit offers a membership and point-based swapping system. Customers can bring in their clothes, earn points in return, and use those points to shop for new pieces in the store.
Qaisara Binte Mohamad Noor facilitating a clothes swap. (Photo credit: Nur Aisyah)
Their goal is to educate shoppers on how they can reduce textile waste by offering different ways to consume fashion sustainably. “We [hope for] customers to [learn] a lot more just by being here. By seeing what kind of different things are available,” Qaisara explains.
This ethos reinforces the core of sustainable fashion, which is to consume responsibly and mindfully.
Going Mainstream
For 24 year old Janice Siau Yu Xin, an Environmental Studies student at the National University of Singapore, thrifting is a practical choice. As a student on a budget, she turned to second-hand shops for affordable, good-quality clothes, recognising that it was also a sustainable way to refresh her wardrobe without contributing to fashion waste.
Today, she notices thrifting has become more trend-driven. Its popularity is fueled not only by celebrities and Gen Z shoppers seeking affordable branded items, but also by people who have come to view thrifting as a trend.
“[The] term has changed. [It’s not just] donated clothes and void deck or neighbourhood stores where they sell it for cheap. It has become thrift shops that sell vintage curated collections of a higher range. [I feel this is not] the true essence of what thrifting is,” Janice adds.
Her concerns point to a deeper issue – overconsumption. Even when opting for second-hand clothing, many shoppers merely substitute retail buys with thrifted pieces, falling into the same cycle of buying excessively.
“What is most important is your mindset towards your clothes. So, whether you can re-utilise your clothes multiple times instead of buying [and] trying it once [and then] buying more.”
Janice Siau Yu Xin trying on clothes at a thrift store. (Photo credit: Janice Siau Yu Xin)
.
As trends continue to shape the thrifting scene, it sparks the concern that second-hand shopping may be slipping into the same overconsumption cycle it once challenged.
Where Responsibility Lies
Despite their growing popularity, thrift stores are still facing challenges in sustaining themselves. Many end up shutting down within a few years, similar to other small businesses, including independent cafés and venues like The Projector.
These closures hint at the financial precarity behind the seemingly booming thrift scene. Many stores require massive storage spaces, strenuous sorting processes, and labour-intensive curation. In order to ensure a steady demand to cover their supply and expenses, they face pressure to follow trends to stay relevant, even if it means drifting from their sustainability values.
As a result, Qaisara believes that thrift stores should not be held responsible for this growing problem of overconsumption. The biggest contributors are fast-fashion brands who mass-produce clothes at a low cost for profit. Their unsold inventory frequently ends up in landfills.
By redistributing this excess amount of unwanted clothes, thrift stores are doing their best in diverting usable clothes away from textile waste streams.
Keeping Sustainability at the Centre
For thrift stores to balance sustainability with consumer expectations, creativity and education should take precedence over chasing trends.
Qaisara believes that thrift stores and second-hand resources, like The Fashion Pulpit, all play a part in improving the perception of thrifting. “We are all planting seeds of ideas of what things could be. We won’t see the transformation right away, but it will happen slowly.”
From fashion shows to workshops and alteration services – by providing more exciting, convenient, and accessible options, shoppers will be more inclined to choose second-hand.
For Janice, sustainability hinges on the community’s mindset. “I feel like the mindsets of the people should change first so that sustainable actions will follow [naturally].”
Looking through a clothes rack at The Fashion Pulpit (Photo credit: Nur Aisyah)
Looking to the Future
Singapore’s thrift scene is expanding, and with that comes both potentials and hurdles. But with awareness, innovation, and a shift in mindset, the heart of thrifting – cutting waste and giving clothes new life – can remain intact.
To The Fashion Pulpit and Janice, sustainable fashion thrives when the community shops with intention. As long as both stores and consumers choose purpose over hype, thrifting will remain one of the most accessible and impactful ways to push fashion towards a greener future.
Awesome! Its genuinely remarkable post, I have got much clear idea regarding from this post
Hi there to all, for the reason that I am genuinely keen of reading tis website’s post to be updated on a regular basis. It carries pleasant stuff. lüleburgaz nakliyat fiyatları
I appreciate the honesty and openness in your writing.
Emeğinize sağlık, bilgilendirmeler için teşekkür ederim.
I recently tried to Latest Version APK from a verified source and found it super helpful. The Free APK download version provided access to features like Unlocked skins and Unlimited coins which made the experience much smoother. I also checked for security before installing the App mods and everything worked perfectly. Always look for safe APK download sites to ensure reliability and clean installations.
Many people today are increasingly interested in subjects like Forex because of their major influence on global technology and financial systems. At the same time, the rise of markets such as Insurance attracts individuals who want to explore new opportunities and learn how digital economies operate. Others choose to study areas like Crypto to understand long‑term strategies, risk management, and potential growth across different sectors.
In the world of indie games download, players are always searching for better experiences, especially when they try to best open world games 2025 pc from trusted sources. Many gamers explore different genres such as best action games for pc or even deep story-based multiplayer online games to discover new entertainment. As the demand grows, the trend of download pc games continues to shape the gaming community and attract more users every day.
I just like the helpful information you provide in your articles
I am truly thankful to the owner of this web site who has shared this fantastic piece of writing at at this place.
Very well presented. Every quote was awesome and thanks for sharing the content. Keep sharing and keep motivating others.
Awesome! Its genuinely remarkable post, I have got much clear idea regarding from this post
There is definately a lot to find out about this subject. I like all the points you made
Fantastic resource. Do you offer a PDF version of this post?
Very well presented. Every quote was awesome and thanks for sharing the content. Keep sharing and keep motivating others.
I’m often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has actually peaks my interest. I’m going to bookmark your web site and maintain checking for brand spanking new information.
Great information shared.. really enjoyed reading this post thank you author for sharing this post .. appreciated
I appreciate how you compared different approaches — very helpful.
I very delighted to find this internet site on bing, just what I was searching for as well saved to fav
Practical advice that’s easy to implement. Much appreciated.
I really needed this today. Thank you for writing it.
Thanks for the detailed breakdown — it saved me a lot of time.
Appreciate the time you put into this — it’s packed with value.
This is now one of my favorite blog posts on this subject.
The way you write feels personal and authentic.
Website penipu Indonesia, website penipu anak kampang
Very well presented. Every quote was awesome and thanks for sharing the content. Keep sharing and keep motivating others.https://heosexhay.net/
QQ88 là nhà cái cá cược trực tuyến uy tín top1 Châu Á, cung cấp hàng loạt kho game đỉnh cao như: Casino, game bài , bắn cá, nổ hũ,… tham gia tặng 88k
Trải nghiệm giải trí đỉnh cao cùng QQ88 – nơi quy tụ casino live, slot đổi thưởng, bắn cá, thể thao với hệ thống vận hành ổn định 24/7.
QQ88 – Điểm đến quen thuộc của cộng đồng cược thủ châu Á, nơi hội tụ game hot, khuyến mãi đều và dịch vụ chuyên nghiệp.
QQ88 nổi bật với kho trò chơi phong phú từ casino trực tuyến, cá cược thể thao đến bắn cá đổi thưởng và slot jackpot. Nhà cái không ngừng nâng cấp công nghệ nhằm tối ưu trải nghiệm cho người chơi Việt.
QQ88 là nhà cái giải trí trực tuyến uy tín châu Á, sở hữu hệ sinh thái game đa dạng gồm casino live, thể thao, bắn cá, slot nổ hũ và xổ số. Nền tảng ổn định, bảo mật cao, nạp rút nhanh, hỗ trợ 24/7 cho người chơi Việt.
QQ88 là nhà cái cá cược đẳng cấp top 1 việt Nam, đến với QQ88 nhận 88k khi đăng ký, 188K nạp đầu. Tham gia casino, nổ hũ, bắn cá nhận ngay hoàn trả hàng ngày
QQ88 được mệnh danh là nhà cái uy tín hàng đầu tại Việt Nam, mang đến kho game đồ sộ cùng nhiều khuyến mãi hấp dẫn. Tham gia QQ88 ngay hôm nay để không bỏ lỡ phần thưởng hot.
https://shorturl.fm/y3P4J
Really great read — I appreciate how clearly you explained the importance of local online presence for businesses today. It’s a topic many companies overlook, i find it very interesting and very important topic. can i ask you a question? also we are recently checking out this newbies in the webdesign industry., you can take a look . waiting to ask my question if allowed. Thank you
Great article! I really appreciate the way you explained everything so clearly – it feels like you put a lot of effort into making it useful for readers. I’ve been exploring different tools and resources myself, It’s been a game changer for me, and reading your post actually gave me even more ideas on how to apply it. Thanks for sharing such valuable insights!
Really great read — I appreciate how clearly you explained the importance of local online presence for businesses today. It’s a topic many companies overlook, i find it very interesting and very important topic. can i ask you a question? also we are recently checking out this newbies in the webdesign industry., you can take a look . waiting to ask my question if allowed. Thank you
Really great read — I appreciate how clearly you explained the importance of local online presence for businesses today. It’s a topic many companies overlook, i find it very interesting and very important topic. can i ask you a question? also we are recently checking out this newbies in the webdesign industry., you can take a look . waiting to ask my question if allowed. Thank you
Really insightful post — Your article is very clearly written, i enjoyed reading it, can i ask you a question? you can also checkout this newbies in seo. thank you
QQ88 Media cập nhật tên miền mới, cá cược casino tặng 88k , bắn cá tặng 100k, nổ hũ tặng 50k, đá gà tặng 1 tỷ.
https://shorturl.fm/zipcm
1
QQ88 là nền tảng giải trí trực tuyến uy tín, quy tụ casino live, bắn cá, nổ hũ, đá gà hấp dẫn, trải nghiệm mượt mà mỗi ngày.
QQ88 là nhà cái trực tuyến uy tín hàng đầu đông Nam Á, mang đến kho game hay ho và hấp dẫn: Casino ,bắn cá, đá gà, nổ hũ,… tặng 88k khi đăng ký và tặng 999k khi nạp đầu