Revamp Your Wardrobe Sustainably With These 7 M'sian-Owned Instagram Thrift Stores

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Tons of non-renewable resources are being put into making these clothes, production of which leads to pollution. Yet, with all the resources put into these clothes, more often than not, most of them are thrown away after some time.

Fortunately, there has been an increase in thrift stores in recent years and Malaysians have been taking the business opportunity to online platforms.

If you are looking for sustainable alternatives for clothes shopping from the comfort of your home, look no further!

@persephone.9a first began its business in November 2020 as a platform to sell the founder's personal pre-loved garments. Taking this to the next level, they decided to source their items from imported bales and bundles.

The shop offers sweaters, dresses, and camisoles from the 1990s and 2000s. It also has vintage blouses and peignoir dresses from the 1950s and 1970s, as well as Japanese lolita dresses, fairy fits, and crochet knits.

The prices for the garments in the online store range mostly between RM30 and RM60, but vintage 1950s to 1970s garments or Japanese lolitas would usually go for higher prices.

As you browse through @persephone.9a, you might find yourself entranced with their cottagecore, coquette, fairycore, and princesscore aesthetics.

Check them out here.

@qwertybygadis launched its business in thrifted shoes, with a focus on boots, at a time when the affordable thrifted shoes business had yet to take off.

"We sell thrifted shoes, mainly boots, and they are unisex! Our items, which are all of excellent quality, are then packed with our custom printed boxes before reaching our customers, so they feel like they are actually purchasing brand new shoes," @qwertybygadis told SAYS.

Pronounced as you do you, the person behind this online thrift store told this SAYS writer that the Instagram account first started as a personal styling page. However, as they have always had an interest in thrift shopping, they then decided to flip this interest into a business.

The pieces in udou.my include used clothes, shoes, bags, reworked pants, and custom-designed caps. All the items are more focused on unisex clothing – all sourced and curated from online and physical bundle stores across Malaysia.

"I have been sourcing my items from local thrift shops from Johor, Melaka, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Ipoh. It has been a great experience supporting these local thrift shops as the community is very friendly," said @udou.my.

With conscious consumerism being a core belief of @eld.vintage, the business promotes second-hand shopping as a great way to adopt mindful shopping practices.

As of right now, @eld.vintage offers a wide range of clothing and bag selections that are evergreen in style.

"Vintage items are timeless and will always remain in style," they said.

"I tend to stay away from trendy items that may be out of style quickly. I am fascinated with the memories behind these vintage goods and I hope the next person will be able to make new memories with them."

@vintejii started their business back in 2018 as they wanted to earn extra money to enjoy their university days. They would purchase clothing in bulk and sell it through Instagram.

They told SAYS that they survey the stocks before purchasing them from suppliers of used clothing. 

"I keep up with what is trendy and find pieces that are in high demand. Most of my items are unisex garments, such as jackets, windbreakers, and sweatshirts," they said.

"People love to shop online, so the response has been great. I decided to continue this business to this day," said @vintejii.

Maison Bianca is an online vintage and second-hand clothing store based in Kuala Lumpur.

Belle, the founder of Maison Bianca, told SAYS that she has always been fascinated by the charm of old buildings, objects, and clothes. She also loves exploring vintage stores and flea markets.

Maison Bianca was then established in June 2020 to offer fashion lovers in Malaysia an alternative to fast fashion that is affordable and eco-friendly.

Belle wishes to influence more people to appreciate slow fashion and enjoy the thrill of finding one-of-a-kind pieces that would be gone forever, once sold.

You can find their aesthetically-pleasing vintage pieces here.

Midnight Thriftings focuses on bringing curated vintage clothes to cater to those who are interested in adding more spice to their wardrobe with their selection of eccentric pieces. They also source pieces for their customers who are looking for something specific.

"We don't really cater to one kind of aesthetic. In general, we are quite varied which reflects our own personalities and style," Midnight Thriftings told SAYS.

With styles ranging from a jaded construction worker to a Bratz doll, the selection at Midnight Thriftings are made up of clothes from the 1960s to the early 2000s.

"We also try to be size-inclusive with our pieces by having a selection of sizes ranging from XXS to XXL."

Check out @midnightthriftings here.