The main reasons that thrifting is the best form of shopping are the prices and the possibility of finding amazing vintage and not so vintage pieces.
You may wonder what brands to buy and which to pass up.
Keep reading to find out more about what brands you should be looking for in thrift stores.
Thrift Store Brands to Look for
You can buy used clothes of any brand. This helps to keep clothing from being thrown away.
If you want to buy clothing that is durable and will hold their value if they are resold, then you should look for brands you trust.
A good find is finding clothes from well-known brands that are known for both their style and their quality.
Some thrift shops have a large selection of clothing from popular brands. In others, you’ll need to wear your hard hat as you search the racks.
You can find a wide variety of brands at thrift shops. Here are some of the most popular and recognizable brands.
Levi’s
You’ve hit the jackpot if you can find a pair of Levis that fits well.
Levi’s become more valuable as they age, so look for the tag in the right-hand back pocket.
The tag on a pair Levi’s made before 1971 will have the brand name written in all capital letters. Tags with a lowercase E will be used if it was manufactured after 1971.
Levi’s jeans are made of premium denim, and they are known to last a long time. So look for Levi’s on your next thrifting trip.
Anthropologie
The brand Anthropologie, known for its free-spirited and bohemian styles as well as premium prices, is always in high demand at thrift shops.
Anthropologie sells its clothing and goodies at a more-expensive-than-average price, so finding an Anthropologie piece for a bargain deal is totally a steal.
Their sister brand Free People, is also great.
Lululemon
What more do we need to say? It’s always fashionable to wear Athleisure, especially today when there is so much emphasis on cute workout outfits. Lululemon is one of, if not the most popular, athleisure brands.
Finding Lululemon in a thrift shop is always a success. It’s known for its high quality and design.
Patagonia
Patagonia’s excellent quality makes it one of the top brands to search for when you are on a thrifting adventure.
Patagonia is a brand that is known for being sustainable and eco-friendly.
Rag & Bone
Rag & Bone is a great place to shop for casual and stylish clothing.
The brand’s regular prices are hefty. Even a basic tank top can cost $100. If you are lucky enough to find something Rag & Bone remember that the brand has one of top resale value in the market. The quality is also impressive, if you want to add this to your wardrobe.
Thrift Stores Offer More Brands to Look for
Here are some other brands to remember when you’re thrifting. It’s a good idea to write them down and review them periodically in case you forget.
- Vince
- Theorem
- Eileen Fisher
- Tory Burch
- Free People
- AllSaints
- J.Crew
- Talbots
- The North Face
- Reformation
- Madewell
- LL Bean
- Ann Taylor
- LOFT
- Columbia
- Banana Republic
- Pendleton
We could list dozens of clothing brands, but here are a few popular ones that you are likely to find at local thrift shops.
Brands to avoid at Thrift Stores
It’s not that you can’t buy any of these brands. But if your goal is to keep the thrift items you find or to sell them later, you might want to avoid brands with a reputation for cheap quality.
Avoid brands like Shein, Forever21 and Fashion Nova.
We don’t recommend buying these items unless you’re able to find a great deal or you’re in love with a particular style.
Shein
Shein has cute clothes. Absolutely. We don’t recommend buying anything Shein from a thrift store because the quality isn’t always good.
Shein is not a brand you should look for when you thrift to resell.
They are selling their items at ridiculously low prices and no one will pay more than $10.
Forever21
Forever21 is the only brand that a thrift shop will carry.
Forever21 is similar to Shein in that the clothing quality isn’t great. There’s nothing special about Forever21 that makes any of their clothing a great find.
You shouldn’t hesitate to buy if the price is right, but be aware that the item’s quality may disappoint. Plus, you won’t likely be able resell it at a profit.
H&M
H&M has a better name than the other brands, but if your goal is to find heirlooms, you should keep looking.
H&M is not a brand with a high demand, nor resale values. The quality of the clothes are usually cheaper.
Final Tips
We recommend that you also check the tags of items that are appealing to you.
Brands don’t always indicate quality. If you can find a 100% Wool Coat from H&M at $5, you’re getting a good deal. You could make a profit. H&M is not a brand we recommend. However, in this case it can be a great deal.
You can also use the label to determine the quality of the clothing. Here are some fabrics which indicate quality.
- Wool
- silk
- cashmere
- Cotton
- linen
- Blends made from the above materials – these can include a small amount of synthetic material, which is okay.
100% synthetic fabrics such as nylon, polyester, and acrylic are indicative of low-quality garments. Natural fabrics can be a good indicator of quality, but not always. Many activewear brands, for example, use 100% synthetic fabrics to make their clothing stretchy.
We would also examine the seams and stitching of the garment. The stitching can be a sign of sloppy construction. It is probably well-made if the seams and stitching are straight and uniform.
Don’t hesitate to use your phone to research a particular brand while you are in the thrift shop. You can see the current resale price and read reviews to determine if you should buy it.
Conclusion
Whatever you do, thrifting should be fun and a way to shop that keeps clothes off landfills. It also gives old pieces a second chance.
You can thrift and buy what you like, but it’s always a good idea to consider which brands offer the best value and quality. You never know what treasures you will find in the racks