India Is Googling Thrifting, With Searches Up 850% to an All-Time High

Google searches for "how to thrift" have jumped 850% in India, an incredible rise showing the love for thrifting and the curiosity about how to do it.

Well, actually, preloved fashion is not new to India, and it's unknowingly been a sustainable habit practised in our homes, giving clothes a second life for generations. 

According to Google India's October 2026 report, searches for thrifting reached an all time high in India over the past year. Searches for how to thrift rose by a 850%, and "thrift store near me" jumped 600%. Woohoo, we love a sustainable buddy!

And hold on, we need to sit down for this. Searches for "what is thrift store" increased by 1,000%. Yesss, 1,000%. People are very interested, and they're also searching for - thrift meaning in Hindi - and this has to be the cutest.

Clearly, like crystal clear, plenty of people are discovering thrifting for the first time, and they're super curious about how it works.

It's All the Cities!

People across India are looking up thrift stores, with Guwahati and Jaipur seeing a sudden surge in interest.

Bengaluru topped the list of cities searching for thrift stores, followed by Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Kochi, Dehradun, Guwahati and Jaipur, making up the top ten.

So, What Is Everyone Thrifting?

Google India says jackets were India's most-searched thrift item over the past year, and searches for Y2K streetwear have broken out, with growing interest in everything from vintage sarees to vintage furniture.

And speaking of Y2K, remember Kareena Kapoor's Poo from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham? Those iconic early 2000s looks are having their moment again. And for vintage sarees, think Sridevi's chiffon sarees or Rekha's brocade sarees, and who wouldn't love finding something similar in a thrift store?

Searches for terms like circular fashion increased by 2,500% over the past year, and interest in sustainable fashion also grew by 120%. 

Search interest doesn't automatically mean everyone is shopping sustainably, but it does tell us that more people are trying to understand these ideas, which is the very first step.

Now Google Is Helping People Thrift

Google also explains how shoppers can find and style secondhand pieces. You can use Google Lens to explore a vintage find, Circle to Search to look for similar secondhand styles, or Google Maps to plan a little thrift shopping day out. They even suggest asking, "Suggest good thrift stores near me with a café close by for a day out with a friend."

Passing down sarees, reusing clothes between siblings and giving old fabrics another purpose have always been familiar practices in Indian homes.

Today, secondhand fashion can mean finding a rare vintage jacket, experimenting with personal style or choosing to shop more purposefully.

Your Thrifting Era Starts Here!

And if all these numbers have you thinking, "okay, but where do I start?", we've got you.

Our very own sustainable community is here, and we'd love for you to be part of it. Come join our Swap & Thrift Circle to thrift, swap clothes and rehome pieces so someone else can make new memories with them and keep the cycle going :)