Fast fashion, online reselling, and class consciousness are on the rise; how do UNC students feel about today's practices of consumption?

Here in Chapel Hill, students have access to Rumors- a secondhand boutique, Frat Court Flea- a UNC-alumni-run vintage vending event for students, and a Goodwill just a few minutes away. Students also have access to millions of secondhand items on their phones via apps like Depop, Poshmark, and eBay. As social media pressures us to fit in, the rise in the trendiness of thrifting has created pressures to stand out. But, as much as we want to dress like (or unalike) our peers, we're bombarded with a new class consciousness fueled by Gen Z's renewal of environmentalism, marxism, and social justice.

Where does thrifting fit into the puzzle? Some UNC students worry that affluent thrift shoppers are taking away from low-income shoppers who need thrift prices, but others place the moral wrongdoings only with resellers who take from thrift stores and sell online at 100%+ markups.

Today's episode begins with a short history of thrift stores and thrifting practices in Chapel Hill, then, we examine the ethical pros and cons of thrifting, retail shopping, and reselling. Along the way, hear from Marshe Wyche, co-owner and co-founder of Rumors Boutique, and Jennifer Le Zotte, UNCW History Professor and author of Goodwill to Grunge (https://www.amazon.com/Goodwill-Grunge-Secondhand-Alternative-Economies/dp/1469631903).

We end with a question: how should we make decisions about our consumption?

We'd like to thank Jesse Ainslie for this episode's music. His work can be found here: jesseainslie.com

Pit Perspectives is a student-run podcast. We record your candid and anonymous opinions in The Pit, add commentary and supplementary materials, and create episodes on relevant social issues facing college students at UNC and across the country.

Find us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/pitperspectivesunc/) and online (https://www.pitperspectivesunc.com/).

Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MRpFOCpKin22a27R7agx81e6FXPCFcqiDoh1r4NpfIQ/edit?usp=sharing

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