Pick and Pocket Thrift

Camps Bay, Cape Town

Anet, who is CEO at PSG Asset Management, got the idea of setting up a preloved clothing business after a colleague mentioned having gone on a massive decluttering drive and setting up an Instagram page to sell the clothes she no longer needed.

‘When I clear out my wardrobe, I normally give lots of clothes away,’ Anet says. ‘But with my daughter, Niahm, looking for something to do part time, I suggested she run the thrift side of things for me in return for a percentage of the profits. So she’s in charge of posting and selling. We’re getting going slowly… the setup is very simple and I’m seeing more and more of it everywhere.’

Before lockdown, Anet spent a lot of time travelling, so being forced to settle in her home for a longer period made her aware of how much stuff she really had. She admits she’ll never be a minimalist, but the realisation of a change in taste further prompted the need for a decent clear-out.

On thrifting: ‘My daughter and her generation are huge thrift followers. We’ve actually done a day trip going to all the thrift shops. There’s definitely a trend where we’re conscious that we don’t always need just new things. People are becoming a bit more sensible about their consumption. There’s something really gratifying about someone else getting excited about something that you’re no longer excited about.’

When it comes to a platform and technology, she’s kept it simple by using Instagram, printing a SnapScan code and investing in a R280 ring light for taking pictures. ‘With SnapScan, people can pay you from anywhere. You just mark the item as sold once someone requests it. Now it’s grown into something my daughter can do for petrol and pocket money.’ ❖