How to Thrift Clothes That Will Last a Lifetime

Not all thrifted pieces are built the same, and these hacks will help you make the most of your money.

Published January 22, 2025
client chose vintage second-hand clothes suggesting

Thrifting is back, and it’s bigger than ever. Whether you’re going full no-buy in 2025 or just dipping your toes in with a low-buy January, chances are that there’s some thrifting in your future. Make the most of every penny by learning how to thrift clothes that are going to last for years to come.

Check Tags for Natural Fiber Content

Fiber content is a great place to start when picking out long-lasting second-hand clothes. Natural fibers like cotton, linen, wool, bamboo, mohair, hemp, and genuine leather will hold up far longer than synthetic fibers will.

Does this mean they’re impervious to wear and tear? No, you’ll still need to mend natural fibers at some point. However, they wear better for longer and are more easily mended than synthetic fibers like rayon and viscose.

Most tags list fiber content in percentages. Look for high percentages of natural fibers. For example, something like 80% wool and 20% nylon.

Quick Tip

The way you store your thrifted clothes matters, too! Wool sweaters will keep their shape best when folded and not hung. 

Do a Little Detective Work in the Moment

Young woman is browsing a rail of clothes at mall store

Think of thrifting like detective work. Sometimes, you don’t have a tag to go off of. In these cases, use your other senses to assess how the article of clothing has held up.

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Does it have stretch? If so, does it return to the original shape or stay stretched out?
  • Are there threadbare patches?
  • Does it have a lot of pilling?
  • Does it have any stains?
  • Does it have sun damage?
  • If it has a lining, is the lining still attached?
  • If it has silk elements, is the silk shattering?

A well-loved piece isn’t a bad investment necessarily! It just might not last much longer in your wardrobe.

Related: My Low-Buy Year: 9 Rules I'm Living By in 2025

Check Pockets for Bugs & Larvae

You don’t want to bring home bugs with your thrifted goods, especially if you have a lot of natural-fibered clothes already. Clothes moths are no joke, and they can be harder to get rid of than just throwing your clothes in the wash.

Open pockets and folds like collars or lapels and look for dead bug carcasses, white larvae, and small holes. If you think something might have bugs and aren’t prepared to freeze it for a few days (or bake it…you read that right, bake it), it’s best not to pick it up.

Check Seams for Signs of a Proper Finish

If you don’t sew and don’t want to learn anytime soon, make sure to check the seams on all of your clothes before you head to the counter. Overlocked seams are an industry standard and loop around the fabric edge to create a secure finish.

While hand-sewn hems and seams are perfectly manageable, they do require some upkeep and might not be the best investment for everyone.

Related: 10 Thrifting Steals That Scored BIG Bucks

Identify the Brand if Possible

young attractive people shopping in secondhand store

Brands are as inconsistent as the sizes they produce. Some collections and clothing items can be incredibly made while others fall apart in the wash. So, it’s not a great idea to go off of a brand name alone when thrifting long-lasting pieces.

However, fast-fashion brands make cheap clothing with cheap materials and poor construction. They’re not meant to last a long time. While you have the right to thrift whatever you want to, brands like Shein, Fashion Nova, and Temu won’t fit the bill for being long-lasting.

Read the Laundry Instructions

I’ve made many a faux pas in my early thrifting days by not reading the laundry instructions. Laundry instructions are printed on one of the tags — usually an interior tag not at the collar or waistband — and denote how the item of clothing needs to be cleaned.

You want to wear the clothes you thrift a lot, and that involves keeping them clean. I hate handwashing clothes, and anything that needs to be handwashed ends up in the donate pile. So, it’s counterproductive for me to thrift things I’ll end up thrifting myself.

Finding clothes you'll wear more than once is a major part of thrifting clothes that'll last a long time. 

These Clothes Are Here for a Good Time & a Long Time

Thrifting can be exhilarating, but it’s time to thrift smarter, not harder. If you want to thrift pieces you can wear for decades and maybe gift to some fellow thrifty fashionistas down the line, keep these tips in mind the next time you hit up your regular haunts.

How to Thrift Clothes That Will Last a Lifetime