A passion, but also a gamble': why India's gen Z are cashing in on the trend for secondhand fashion

"The work begins at sunrise, ahead of her first Instagram post. Astha Chhetri starts the day on her phone, combing through supplier lists, checking shipment updates and preparing stock for her online store. The evenings find Chhetri, 26, with her mobile still in hand, photographing and posting reels of clothes for sale and replying to customer messages. What started as a side hustle while she was working in a poorly paid call centre role has become her full-time job."

"India's secondhand clothing market is worth an estimated 33,000 crore (2.5bn) annually. Most buyers are students or younger professionals looking for distinctive, affordable fashion. I love browsing Instagram for unique hoodies and tees, says Ananya Khan, 21, a college student in Delhi. I usually spend 800-1,500 per item. The boom is shaped by the rising cost of living as well as high unemployment rates among India's digitally-savvy youth."

"In 2025, about 10% of people aged 1529 were out of work, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey. Filling this gap, thrift resale offers what formal employment often cannot: low start-up costs, flexible hours and immediate cashflow. Street markets such as this one are at the centre of the thrift economy, as they are where many resellers source their stock, build contacts and learn the trade."

Work starts early with phone-based sourcing, shipment checking, stock preparation, and evening posting and customer messaging. A side hustle in poorly paid employment has grown into full-time income through online sales and street-market activity. India’s secondhand clothing market is estimated at 33,000 crore annually, with many buyers being students and younger professionals seeking distinctive, affordable items. Rising costs of living and high unemployment among digitally savvy youth are increasing demand for thrift resale. Thrift resale provides low startup costs, flexible hours, and faster cashflow than formal employment. Street markets serve as sourcing hubs for resellers, where they build contacts and learn the trade.

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