Thrift shopping and Indonesian urban youth fashion consumption

Rahmawati, Aulia, Febriyanti, Syafrida Nurrachmi and Tutiasri, Ririn Puspita 2022. Thrift shopping and Indonesian urban youth fashion consumption. JOMEC Journal 17 , pp. 119-135. 10.18573/jomec.224

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Abstract

Indonesia has witnessed the proliferation of thrift culture. While it used to be for the consumption of the urban poor, thrift clothing has been gentrified into the practice of the younger generation, presumably doing such practice for the sake of environmental consciousness. The emergence of thrift fashion is also widespread by online thrift shops on Instagram, Facebook, and other social networking platforms, often selling thrift fashion as 'trendy' fashion. This paper investigates how the Indonesian youth make sense of the thrifting culture and what motivates them. We surveyed 94 participants and organised FDG interviews with 12 participants who are frequent thrift customers. Towards the quantitative and qualitative data, this research found that most participants took part in thrifting culture not solely because of environmental consciousness but predominantly out of economic reasons. However, how the younger generation interprets thrifting is much deeper than just economic considerations. This research found that thrifting practices have many layers of meaning, ranging from thrifting as a way of life and strategy in dealing with economic challenges, identity and individuality issues, community belonging, and social responsibility to the environment. This finding also suggested that the thrifting culture in Indonesia creates many additional problems because most secondhand fashion is imported goods from other Asian countries, far from its initial conception as a way to reduce over-consumption. While not much research has been done regarding thrifting practice in Indonesia, this paper is helpful as preliminary research and can inspire further research in this subject.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GT Manners and customs H Social Sciences > HF Commerce N Fine Arts > NX Arts in general
Publisher:	Cardiff University Press
ISSN:	2049-2340
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	11 July 2025
Date of Acceptance:	1 October 2022
Last Modified:	11 Jul 2025 11:09
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/179743

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