Sundown for The ReUsed Revolution
Zara Moffett didn’t start thrifting because it became trendy. As the creator of a reworked, preloved and handmade clothing store in Toronto, Moffett’s lucky hand at finding unique items started long before her buisness did.
“I’ve been thrifting for as long as I can remember,” Moffett says. “My mom used to take us to the thrift store to gather clothes so we could DIY our halloween costumes, and my dad would take us to find nic nacs and dishes.”
Her entrepreneurial spirit sparked as a result of boredom from the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. With encouragement from her peers, Moffett turned to reworking clothes and reselling unique pieces.
“I love finding specific pieces for people that they can’t find themselves. It is so rewarding to me to be able to give someone an article of clothing that makes them feel confident and happy.”
As a long time thrifter, the thrill of the find continues to push Moffett to spend hours finding the perfect piece. Constantly inspired by the next best find, she loves the uncertainty of never knowing what she might find.
While the thrill of the find can take hours of digging through countless racks of clothing, Moffett believes that patience is key.
“I find that when I go to the thrift store looking for a specific item I’ll never find it,” Moffett says. “So the approach that I take is to just be open minded and look through everything because you never know what treasures you’ll find hidden on the racks.”
For Moffett, the prospect of a unique piece is not the only motivation behind her thrifting enthusiasm. With a passion for environmentalism and conscious consumerism, she always opts for used over new.
The rise of thrifting as a shopping trend in North America signals a change in how Canadians are thinking about spending money. With COVID-19 keeping people indoors, online shopping has skyrocketed and has given small businesses a chance to compete on a larger playing field.
With the hope to incorporate more handmade and reworked pieces into her shop, Moffett continues to work hard to expand her business while being a full-time student.
