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There was once a time when, “hand-me-downs” were frowned upon. Remember when all you wanted were some new clothes and you were handed over clothes outgrown by your older sibling instead? I’d frown too. 

Fast forward to the present and you find yourself delightfully scrolling through the pages of charming Instagram stores selling “pre-loved” clothes and accessories. What has changed? For starters, you do this out of free will. And, you do this with a sense of curiosity to discover something rare and offbeat, unlike anything you would probably grab from the superfluity of fast fashion, offered by countless brands every day. If you needed a little push to try thrifting, here are a few reasons why you definitely should.

1. Affordability- This is perhaps the most compelling reason why thrifting has become a favourite mode of shopping among many youngsters today. Since you don’t have to spend a bomb on that corset you have always wanted to own, thrifting also lets you experiment with your looks. If you are brand conscious or designer savvy, there is still plenty to choose from, that too at prices far less than the original tag. 


2. Rare finds- Thrift stores are great places to find unique pieces which add personality to your wardrobe. Be it a vintage handbag which stands out for its workmanship or a statement neckpiece of antique value, thrifting offers accessibility to yesteryear styles which are no longer made, but very much deserve a comeback. Also, why miss a chance to stand out from the crowd?


3. Sustainable options- Shopping pre-owned items would appeal to you especially if you are looking for more sustainable options to upgrade your wardrobe. Not only does it extend the lifecycle of the products which would otherwise be discarded after a few uses, but also helps the environment by not adding to the pile at landfills. 


4. Variety, specially curated- Many thrift stores offer consciously curated collections of pre-owned items to suit personal tastes and preferences than a wild assortment of discarded knick-knacks. There are stores which sell everything from trinkets to toasters, but there are also stores which specialises in say, trench-coats, capes and jackets. In addition to making your selection much easier, these curations also offer room to showcase variety within categories. 


5. Contribute to bigger causes- Going one step beyond sustainability, this is perhaps the most noble of all reasons why thrifting is worth a try. Not just thrift stores, but closet clearance sales and the likes of it, organised by welfare organisations raise funds for various causes and you get to contribute, by just shopping! The proceeds from your purchase goes on to make someone else’s life a little better; you bring home your favourite new find; and one small step to save the planet some trash. It's a total win-win-win!  


6. Upcycling experiments- There is no better option than thrifting, if you want to try your hand at upcycling. Cutting up and sewing through a thrifted shirt is way less painful on your conscience and wallet than doing the same on a shirt you got fresh off the rack. By repurposing an old item, you create something uniquely and exclusively yours. And, upcycled pieces also make excellent gifts, just saying. 


7. The experience – If you have ever visited a thrift store online or offline, you would know it’s an experience quite different from scrolling endlessly through e-comm platforms or hopping aisle to aisle of dazzling new clothes at malls. The latter might promise you ‘fresh’ collections, but the quiet anticipation as you explore options of pre-owned items hits different- you never know what you may stumble upon next! There is no pattern. No transient seasonal themes. If you find it, you find it. 

An explosion of Instagram stores in recent times is plenty proof that thrifting has been able to capture the interest of the intended crowd. The gradually growing culture of thrifting is a promising contribution to the world’s sustainability efforts and that it’s considered cool is reassuring of the youth’s participation in the movement. 

A beautiful rustic library in the Gharo Hills in Meghalaya is where this story takes place. Jemimah Marak, and her husband, James Momin are its protagonists. This teacher duo created something that turned out to be the cosiest reading hub for kids amidst volatile political conditions that surround the region. They named it “The 100 Story House.”  

The library has become an integral part of the couple’s life in such a way that they are unable to recollect how things were before the venture. It all goes back to a time when they decided to build a space for tuition and career counselling - a simple bamboo structure on their terrace, to accommodate the growing number of their students.  Jemimah then decided to get some books so that kids could just sit around and read when they took breaks. From whatever she earned, she always kept apart a certain amount every month to buy books.  She received overwhelming support from her friends after she hinted them about her idea of setting a small personal library. In no time, books started flowing in from different parts of the country!

The library, as it is today, was born out of compelling need.  A culture of reading was nearly non-existent in the region. For parents preoccupied with their daily struggle to balance family and work, reading had never been priority. The existing libraries hardly upgraded their collections, leaving little choice for anyone. There was a striking absence of value education among children, posing threats of indifference and unhealthy addictions.  A determined Jemimah quit her teaching job and devoted her full attention to the library.  With just a Facebook page to mark its presence, personal recommendations are what bring visitors to the library.

The place comes to its full bloom on Saturdays.  Arts and crafts, storytelling activities, personality development classes and so on are conducted regularly. Volunteers and sometimes parents, who are good at some particular activity offer to facilitate these sessions.  

The list of regular visitors has gradually expanded to include college goers and young working adults. In an attempt to encourage readers of all age groups, they stock up books for adults as well. The library has a collection of over 800 books including fiction, classics, comics, encyclopaedias and much more.  

Jemimah stresses the importance of storytelling in getting children interested in reading. When they were just beginners at the library, it was difficult to get them started. To kids who were accustomed to moving pictures and bright screens, books were quite unfamiliar things. Reading books out loud by efficiently employing voice modulation and cues helped conjure curiosity in children. For instance, right when the plot thickens, she stops and prompts them to figure out what happens next. Unable to contain curiosity, they can’t help but read the rest to find out!

She attributes her resourcefulness to her teaching experience. It has helped her immensely in being able to be sensitive to the needs of the kids and in managing them. She is observant about minute details which otherwise would have gone unnoticed. Moreover, it has imbibed in her an acute ability to choose the right books. She says it would have been difficult to get the kids to like what she is trying to do for them, if she weren’t a teacher.

Jemimah is delighted to see remarkable improvements in the children, not only in academics but also in their personalities. Many of them who were initially shy have come out of their shell as imaginative and inquisitive individuals.

Owing to the tense political scenario, children are not encouraged to move around on their own. This prompted Jemimah to raise funds for a van to pick up and drop kids. This van would play a major role in materialising her idea of a “library on wheels” thus enabling doorstep delivery of books.

She aspires to see the library concept replicated in the villages, even in the interior ones. She is more than happy to help set up these libraries if it is possible to rope in qualified teachers who are willing to run them.  She strongly believes that no one should be left behind when it comes to acquiring knowledge.  “Even if there are just two shelves of books, the kids would have access to some reading material. They will learn something new, ideas would form and they would be inspired to do good things”, she says.  

Jemimah urges us to read inspiring stories and to create our own to inspire those who come after us. As someone deeply impacted by the books she grew up with, she says “That’s what stories are about. They should live through us."