Shouldn't Prices for Second-hand Items Be Cheaper?

When discussing pricing at thrift.mt it's essential to establish a baseline for comparison. But before we delve into comparisons, let’s understand the meticulous process behind pricing a second-hand tee at 18 euros.

Step 1: Sourcing the Tee
Quality and uniqueness are our top priorities. Sourcing the best items requires extensive research and time, ensuring we offer only the best to our customers.

Step 2: Buying and Shipping to Malta
We source our clothing internationally—nothing is locally donated. You might wonder why we look abroad when there are plenty of clothes already on the island. The reason is simple: the local market lacks diversity in quality and unique items, dominated by generic high street brands.

Initially, we experimented with "il-Monti," an online marketplace for locals to sell their clothes. Unfortunately, it revealed a disinterest in last season’s local second-hand items, leading us to focus on importing unique items that consistently attracted our customers.

Step 3: Garment Care
Our items arrive pre-washed. To ensure they’re in perfect condition, we wash and steam them again after their journey.

Step 4: Processing Clothes
Before any item hits our store, we photograph it, upload it online, print price tags, and prepare it for display. We benchmark our prices against international vintage shops like Domno Vintage and Aged Ivy or eBay, ensuring our items are 10% to 15% cheaper—excluding shipping and import taxes. We encourage customers to look for the items they like in our store on eBay, and compare the prices. We would happily reduce our prices to match, if they are of the same quality. 

Price Comparisons

thrift.mt vs. Charity Shops
Charity shops play a vital role in supporting charities and not necessarily fashion. At thrift.mt, fashion takes precedence, ensuring we provide stylish, high-quality options.

thrift.mt vs. Foreign Vintage/Thrift Shops
Prices in thrift shops vary by country and economy. For instance, shops in Poland or Hungary might offer lower prices due to their economic conditions compared to Malta's higher living costs.

thrift.mt vs. Fast Fashion Retailers
If you want to dress the same thing as the majority of the local population, do not shop from thrift.mt. If you want to be part of the destruction of our planet due to the lack of ethics of fast fashion brands, do not shop from thrift.mt.