Along with the creativity that thrifting encourages, it also has various impacts on the environment. Many people are now advocating against fast fashion brands such as SheIn and Pretty Little Thing as they encourage others to shop second-hand and to make their clothes. These fast fashion brands often come with overconsumption, pollution, and exploitative work practices. Their cheap prices and low-quality pieces result in the constant purchasing of items that will be in poor condition after a few wears. The increased demand for these cheap items then results in pollution and worker exploitation as child labor is employed in sweatshops. With this trend fast fashion items continue to overflow in landfills.

The modern rise of thrifting is also actively dismantling the stigma around shopping for second-hand goods. Prior to its recent fame, thrifting was once viewed as a practice for the poor and today many thrifters enjoy it as a creative hobby. Content creators are actively reshaping the narrative around thrifters one video at a time. Their hauls are taking away the shame of shopping secondhand while encouraging sustainability and repurposing. 

While the trend of thrifting has many positive impacts, it is important to note that with popularity comes predatory practices. Thrift stores such as Goodwill and Salvation Army contine to raise their prices which is making once affordable items inaccessible to shoppers who rely on the secondhand market.