English Speech

Have you ever found yourself wanting to buy that new viral shirt that everyone is wearing but
you are just a bit low on cash? Worry no more, because I am about to show you a whole new
side of fashion. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to the world of thrifting. Where you can find
hidden gems in thrift stores and repurpose them into a stylish new outfit. It is convenient, stylish,
and friendly for your bank account. As thrifting becomes more popular every day, it is more
important than ever to understand the benefits and downsides of thrift shopping as well as its
impact on fashion, and the environment.
Without further ado, please meet you, honourable judges, fellow contestants, ladies, and
gentlemen. My name is Sharon Imanuella Ardalim and I am from Immanuel Senior High School
Pontianak. On this special occasion, I would like to discuss a very interesting topic so brace
yourself as we dive into the dark rabbit hole of thrifting.
Now, a question that might arise out of your curiosity is, what is thrifting? Some people might
not be familiar with the subject, so to put it simply, thrifting is a term used to express the
approach of shopping for second-hand items which in this case, used clothing. You might be
wondering, why would anyone buy used clothing. We can just get them in the mall. To answer
this question, I would like to quote from an iconic fashion designer, Vivienne Westwood "Buy
less, choose well, make it last" This quote encourages consumers to invest in high-quality pieces
of clothing that are designed to last so that we can reduce our consumption and minimize the
impact of textile waste on the environment. Thrifting is a perfect way to follow this principle, as
it allows us to find affordable and well-made pieces that have already stood the test of time. Due
to fast fashion, it is estimated that 92 million tons of garments enter landfills annually. To put
things in perspective, it is the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of clothes ending up on landfill
sites every second, and thrifting is a great way to decrease these numbers. Thrifting is becoming
increasingly popular as people become more aware of the negative impact of consuming fast
fashion and the benefits of reusing and repurposing items that could otherwise end up in a
landfill.
Though thrifting might seem beneficial, the impact on the local fashion business is not to be
disregarded. There seem to be many misconceptions about the idea of thrifting. Thrifting is good
when the clothes that you are purchasing are still in good shape and wearable. What is not good
is when you are purchasing illegal thrift. Back in 2015, imported second-hand clothes or thrift
clothes which were imported were banned by the local government thus making it illegal.
Technically, importing thrifts is similar to transferring textile waste to the local landfill. How is
that? Well, most of these 'thrifts' are in fact, wastes from other countries that are about to be
recycled, or that are not appropriate to wear anymore and are supposed to be discharged. If locals
were to buy these imported thrifts, it would be the same as 'killing' the local business as they
would rather spend their money on cheaper thrifting clothes than buy clothing from the local
business. The local textile industry today has to deal with a myriad of problems. It is suffering
from a decline in exports but is also competing with imports that are cheaper and more attractive
in design, and now it is up against imported used clothing that has significantly lower prices.
Quoting from IDX channel, many local businesses have bankrupt due to these illegal businesses,
so manufacturers would cut their work hours to 3-4 hours where it was originally 1 week leading
to an increase in the unemployment rate.
Thrifting is growing in popularity, as people become more conscious of the negative effects of
rapid fashion consumption and the advantages of reusing and repurposing items. Although it
could appear advantageous to thrift, it is important to do your research on your thrift districs
before buying from them.
What do you think? Would you like to try thrifting in your local area?
My speech is coming to an end. Thank you all for your attention. My name is Sharon, signing
off.

English Speech

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

English Speech

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

English Speech

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Have you ever found yourself wanting to buy that new viral shirt that everyone is wearing but

You might also like