Thrift vs Vintage vs Antique vs Deadstock: What’s the Difference?
Understanding thrift, vintage, antique, and deadstock distinctions is key for shoppers, resellers, and sustainability advocates alike navigating the fast-growing resale economy.
Thrifting has surged into the mainstream, but what exactly does it mean — and how does it differ from vintage, antique, or deadstock? Understanding these distinctions is key for shoppers, resellers, and sustainability advocates alike navigating the fast-growing resale economy.
Thrifting Redefined
According to Merriam-Webster, to “thrift” or “thrifting” means to shop for used goods, especially in a secondhand store. It’s the act of buying pre-owned items — clothing, books, furniture, and more — usually at discounted prices. The word “thrifty” originates from “to thrive” or “to prosper,” a reminder that resourcefulness and sustainability often go hand in hand.
Once associated with frugality or necessity, thrifting today is an intentional lifestyle choice. According to ThredUp’s 2025 Resale Report, the online resale market is projected to reach $40 billion by 2029. Nearly 60 percent of consumers say they’ll look for more affordable options like secondhand if retail prices rise, and almost half of Gen Z and Millennial shoppers say they plan to spend their entire apparel budgets on pre-owned fashion.
Thrift: 🛍️
Definition: Pre-owned items, typically sold at discounted prices
Age: Any (not age-dependent)
Examples: Clothing from thrift stores, used books, secondhand furniture
Key Note: Affordable and sustainable choice
The Vintage Threshold
The word “vintage” carries a sense of curation and historical weight. Across a ThriftEd Mag analysis of resale platforms – among them Etsy, Depop, Facebook, Goodwill, Poshmark, Mercari, ThredUp, and The RealReal – the prevailing threshold for “vintage” is at least 20 years old, meaning items manufactured 20 or more years ago. Vestiaire Collective, an outlier, lowers that threshold slightly to 15 years. These distinctions help buyers and sellers separate truly era-specific pieces from more recent secondhand fads.
Vintage: 👘
Definition: Items 20+ years old, recognized for style or era
Age: 20–100 years (platforms vary)
Examples: 1980s denim jacket, 1970s band tee
Key Note: Collectible and historically styled
Do or Deadstock?
Some marketplaces offer even more specific definitions. Etsy, for example, asks sellers to provide detailed information about a piece’s designer, materials, and provenance. The platform also defines “deadstock” as authentic, unworn inventory that was produced years or decades ago, not simply items inherited or found at estate sales.
Deadstock: 🏷️
Definition: Original, never-worn inventory from past decades
Age: Any (but old, not recently produced)
Examples: 1990s sneakers, vintage designer handbags still in packaging
Key Note: Authentic, unworn, often collectible
An Antique Artifact
On eBay’s community forums, vintage often begins at around 40 years, while antique items are typically 100 years or older. The term “antique” can also carry legal weight. In Florida, antique dealers must register with the Department of Revenue for tax purposes. In Wisconsin, sellers of used home furnishings must document the identity of anyone they buy from. In France, antique dealers face strict regulations governing provenance, taxes, and authenticity. In other words, authenticity isn’t just a selling point—it can be a legal obligation.
Antique: 🕰️
Definition: Items 100+ years old, often legally regulated
Age: 100+ years
Examples: 19th-century furniture, collectible jewelry
Key Note: Rare, legally defined in some regions
Why These Definitions Matter
In both the U.S. and Europe, these distinctions have implications for trade, taxation, and sustainability. As the resale market grows, organizations such as American Circular Textiles (ACT) are pushing to modernize policy, including efforts to end double taxation on secondhand goods. The terms thrift, vintage, antique, and deadstock are more than aesthetic labels — they describe different points along a historical, economic, and ethical continuum that underpins the global circular economy.
Know the Value: Age and rarity affect pricing accuracy
Build Trust: Clear definitions prevent confusion and create transparency
Stay Compliant: Some items, like antiques, have legal or tax rules buyers and sellers need to follow.
Sell Smarter: Better tailor products to key audience and resale platforms
Build a Sustainable Community: With clear social and sustainability benefits of secondhand, consumers can confidentially own and share this knowledge in wider their community