Here's Why 2025 is the Best Year to Get Into Thrifting

Your grandma’s closet is worth more than you think. While everyone’s chasing the latest sneaker drops, smart resellers are pulling triple digit profits from $5 thrift store finds. The secondhand clothing market just posted its strongest growth in four years, and the opportunity is only getting bigger.

The U.S. secondhand apparel market hit $43 billion in 2023 and grew 14% in 2024. That’s five times faster than traditional retail. By 2029, this market will reach $74 billion, with online resale alone hitting $40 billion. Translation: there’s serious money in other people’s old clothes, and the competition hasn’t caught up yet.

Remember when thrifting meant digging through dusty Goodwills for hours? The game changed. Platforms like Depop, Poshmark, and Mercari turned secondhand clothes into a legitimate marketplace with real money flowing through it. But 2024 marked a turning point.

The secondhand market just posted its best year since the pandemic boom. While traditional retail struggled with inflation and consumers tightened their wallets, vintage and thrift sales accelerated. Why? Because people discovered that buying secondhand is cheaper, easier, and even better.

According to ThredUp’s 2025 Resale Report, 46% of consumers now say if they can find an item secondhand, they won’t buy it new. That’s nearly half of all shoppers actively choosing used over new. For Gen Z and Millennials, that number jumps to 55%. These aren’t just bargain hunters—they’re the future of retail.

And when you factor in the latest round of Trump’s tariffs, the value proposition for Temu slop is falling off a cliff. If you can’t buy Chinese and can’t afford American, the only option left is turn back the clock and start digging in your dad’s closet.

Value wins: 60% of consumers shop secondhand primarily to get a better deal. With inflation hitting wallets hard, a $5 vintage band tee that resells for $40 beats buying new at $30.

Tariff pressure: 59% of consumers say if tariffs make new clothing more expensive, they’ll look for secondhand options. That percentage hits 66% for younger shoppers. Every time retail prices go up, secondhand becomes more attractive.

AI removing friction: Nearly half of consumers say AI-powered personalization and improved search make shopping secondhand as easy as shopping new. The “thrift overwhelm” problem is getting solved.

Quality perception shift: Consumers are fed up with low-quality fast fashion and turning to vintage designs. In the Temu age, older threads hold up better than modern clothes.

Online resale grew 23% in 2024, nearly doubling its growth rate from previous years. That acceleration matters because online is where individual resellers make real money. You’re not competing with physical thrift stores—you’re tapping into a global marketplace with buyers actively searching for specific items.

New shoppers are flooding in. ThredUp estimates that first-time secondhand buyers will make up 60% of incremental spending by 2029. These aren’t savvy thrifters who know every brand—they’re people who just discovered that buying used makes sense. That’s your customer base expanding.

The age demo is perfect for resellers. Shoppers aged 18-44 will represent 60% of secondhand spending by 2029. These are digital natives comfortable buying clothes on their phones, and they’re willing to pay premium prices for the right pieces.

Platform data backs this up. Depop has 35 million users globally, Poshmark has 80 million active users, and Mercari topped 50 million U.S. downloads. Each platform has its own vibe and audience, which means smart resellers can work multiple channels.

90s and Y2K fashion: Anything from 1990-2005 with recognizable branding. Vintage band tees from iconic bands, Levi’s denim jackets, Adidas tracksuits from the 80s and 90s, Champion reverse weave hoodies. Profit margins of 100% or more are common on pieces under $10 at thrift stores.

Athleisure and activewear: Lululemon, Patagonia, and Vuori consistently rank as the top-selling brands on resale platforms. A $15 thrift store Lululemon piece can easily resell for $40-60. Quality activewear holds value because people know the retail prices are insane.

Designer and luxury: Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel move fast when authenticated. Even mid-tier brands like Coach and Kate Spade have strong resale demand. The key is condition and authentication.

Vintage denim: Original Levi’s 501s, rare washes, specific production years. Denim nerds will pay serious money for the right pairs. A $8 thrift find can flip for $80+ if you know what you’re looking at.

Unique and one-of-a-kind pieces: Vintage concert tees, rare sports jerseys, discontinued styles from heritage brands. Scarcity drives value, and thrift stores are the only place to find truly unique pieces. Even a few pit stains won’t dissuade a motivated buyer.

Home decor is also heating up. Vintage mirrors, retro lamps, and bombastic accent pieces are moving fast as people refresh their spaces without paying retail.

Depop (35M users, mostly Gen Z):

• Best for: Vintage, streetwear, Y2K, unique pieces
• Fees: 0% selling fee (just 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing)
• Vibe: Instagram meets thrift store, aesthetic matters
• Average sale: $10-40 range
• Strategy: Curate a cohesive brand aesthetic, engage with the community

Poshmark (80M users, Millennials/Gen Z):

• Best for: Women’s fashion, designer pieces, athleisure
• Fees: 20% on sales over $15 (ouch, but the audience is huge)
• Vibe: Social shopping with “Posh Parties”
• Average sale: $20-50 range
• Strategy: Participate in Posh Parties, bundle listings, share items frequently

Mercari (50M+ downloads, broad audience):

• Best for: Everything—clothing, electronics, home goods
• Fees: 10% + 2.9% + $0.30 (about 13% total)
• Vibe: General marketplace, value-focused buyers
• Average sale: $15-35 range
• Strategy: Competitive pricing, fast shipping, clean photos

Let’s talk actual numbers, not fantasy flips.

A reseller finds a vintage Levi’s denim jacket at Goodwill for $8. It’s in good condition with minor wear. Listed on eBay for $65, it sells in three days. After fees, they net ~$55 profit. That’s a 585% margin.

Lululemon leggings at a thrift store for $6. They’re in excellent condition, no pilling. Listed on Poshmark for $45, they sell within a week. After Poshmark’s 20% fee ($9) and $7.97 shipping label, they net $28.03 profit. That’s still a 367% margin.

A vintage band tee (90s Nirvana) found at an estate sale for $3. It’s slightly faded but authentic vintage. Listed on eBay for $38, sells in five days. After 13% fees ($4.94) and $5 shipping cost, they net $25.06 profit. That’s a 735% margin.

Now let’s talk about the ceiling. Recent eBay sold listings show just how insane vintage band tees can get when you find the right pieces.

A Dinosaur Jr shirt from their Green Mind album era sold for $25,000 in September 2025. A vintage single-stitch panther 3D print tee hit $20,000 (marked down from $26,000). A 1990s Mobb Deep rap tee went for $4,500. Multiple authentic Nirvana 1993 heart-shaped box tees are selling in the $4,000 range.

These aren’t outliers on some sketchy site. These are completed eBay transactions with actual buyers paying these prices. Vintage Harley Davidson biker tees are clearing $7,300. Rare concert tour shirts from the right bands and years are routinely hitting four figures.

What makes a vintage tee worth $4,000 instead of $40? A few factors separate grail pieces from regular vintage:

Provenance and era: Original tour merch from iconic concerts or album releases. A 1993 Nirvana In Utero tour shirt is worth exponentially more than a 1995 bootleg. The closer to a culturally significant moment, the higher the value.

Single stitch construction: Pre-1990s band tees were typically single-stitch, meaning one seam at the sleeves and bottom hem. Double-stitch became standard in the 90s. Single-stitch automatically dates a tee and is a major value indicator.

Tag and branding: Certain screen printers and tags (Screen Stars, Hanes Beefy-T from specific years) are collectible in themselves. Knowing your tags is crucial for grail hunting.

Condition paradox: Slight wear can actually prove authenticity, but excessive damage kills value. The sweet spot is “clearly vintage but well-preserved.”

Cultural significance: Bands matter. Nirvana, Metallica, Grateful Dead, vintage rap merch (Wu-Tang, Mobb Deep, Tupac) command premium prices. Obscure bands don’t.

Here’s the wild part: these shirts were probably donated to thrift stores by someone cleaning out their garage. Maybe they paid $15-25 for that Nirvana shirt at a concert in 1993. Thirty years later, someone finds it at Goodwill mixed in with the regular $5 tees. Most people walk right past it because they don’t know what they’re looking at.

You won’t find a $25,000 Dinosaur Jr shirt every week. But understanding what makes certain vintage tees valuable means you can spot the $200-500 pieces that others miss. A vintage Metallica tour shirt that you buy for $8 might actually be worth $300 to the right collector.

This is why serious vintage resellers study tags, learn band tour histories, and understand what single-stitch construction looks like. The difference between a $40 sale and a $400 sale is just knowledge.

Not everything is perfect in vintage land. Keep an eye on:

Platform saturation in some categories: Basic mall brands (Old Navy, Gap, Target) are oversaturated on platforms. Focus on quality brands, unique pieces, or items with strong search demand.

Authentication challenges: As designer resale grows, so do fakes. Stick to pieces you can confidently authenticate or use platform authentication services.

Shipping costs eating margins: Small-margin flips get destroyed by shipping. Focus on items with at least $15 profit after all costs.

Algorithm changes: Platforms tweak their algorithms constantly. Diversify across multiple platforms so you’re not dependent on one.

Quality supply tightening: As more people thrift to resell, competition for quality items at thrift stores increases. Get there early, build relationships with thrift store staff, expand to estate sales and garage sales.

Now: Start hitting thrift stores with specific brands in mind. Make a list of consistently profitable brands (Lululemon, Patagonia, Levi’s vintage, Ralph Lauren, J.Crew, Banana Republic). Source 10-20 items this week.

This week: Set up accounts on at least two platforms. Start with Depop (no seller fees) and Poshmark (largest audience). Test which platform your style of items performs best on.

This month: Develop your sourcing routine. Hit thrift stores on restock days (ask staff when they put out new inventory). Check estate sales on weekends. Build volume—the more you list, the more you learn what sells.

Next 90 days: Track your numbers religiously. Which categories have the best margins? Which platforms move fastest? What brands consistently sell? Double down on what works, cut what doesn’t.

Long game: Build a system. Successful vintage resellers aren’t just flipping random items—they specialize in categories they understand, develop sourcing relationships, and build repeat customers. Aim for 50-100 active listings across platforms.

The secondhand clothing market is in the middle of a massive shift. Traditional retail is struggling while vintage and thrift are posting the strongest growth in years. The U.S. market is on track to nearly double to $74 billion by 2029, with online resale hitting $40 billion.

For resellers, this means more buyers, less stigma around buying used, and strong profit margins on the right items. A $5 thrift store find can easily become a $40-60 sale with 100%+ margins. Do that 10 times a week and you’re looking at $2,000+ monthly.

The window is open, but it won’t stay this good forever. As more people discover the opportunity, thrift stores get picked over faster and competition increases. The best time to build a vintage reselling business was two years ago. The second best time is right now.

New shoppers are flooding into the market, platforms are making it easier than ever to sell, and the economics just make sense. If you’ve been thinking about getting into reselling, vintage and thrift is a great place to start.