Paris Bedbug Infestation Concerns Chicago Thrift Shoppers

By TARA MOBASHER, Medill Reports

CHICAGO -- Shoppers weaved through racks and racks of used clothes last weekend, hoping to find the most fashionable and unique pieces. But little did they know they could have been attracting unwanted guests.

Thrifters were on the move on the North Side despite fears from social media influencers of a spreading bedbug epidemic surrounding second-hand shopping.

“It is a little bit scarier now, but I think it’s worth it to find the pieces,” said Nascia Garien, 24, from River North, who considers herself an avid thrifter.

A bedbug infestation was initially reported in Paris toward the finale of Fashion Week in early October, and social media users have since expressed concerns about the epidemic being spread to the U.S. when American fashion influencers return to their prime shopping location – thrift stores.

Garien said she has been thrifting for 10 years and said she typically washes her thrifted clothes right after buying them – especially with her TikTok feed updating her on the situation.

“I’m a bit of a germaphobe, so I just throw everything with my dirty clothes, especially now that I see all these Tiktoks about bringing bugs into your home and stuff,” she said.

Still, Garien and fellow thrifters continue to second-hand shop because of its affordability and uniqueness.

Steffi Haenicke, 25, from the North Side, said she has been thrifting for years and said that she conducts the basic inspections of her clothes before wearing them, and washes them immediately. She is not as concerned about the clothes’ cleanliness as she is about over-consumption.

“I like that [secondhand clothes are] affordable and also that you can personalize your outfits. I’m into sustainability,” she said. “Fast fashion and over-consumption is a problem when there are already enough clothes on the planet.”

Ella Bondy, 22, who uses the pronouns “they,” is a retail worker at Ragstock and said they freeze and wash their clothes right after purchasing second-hand items.

“I like buying clothes that I can give a new life. I have a hard time with fast fashion,” Bondy said. “I enjoy buying things that have been pre-loved.”

Because Bondy said they do not feel the need to try on the clothes in the store, there’s an ease of going “in and out” of stores without the fear of carrying anything home. In fact, Bondy prefers not to shop at online stores like Depop or Poshmark because they enjoy seeing items in person.

Known for its arts and culture, Lincoln Square consists of a few notable thrift stores, including A Secret Closet and Family Tree Resale. With thrifting’s rise in popularity on social media, Carmen Alvarez, owner of A Secret Closet, said she has particular concerns about online stores because more shoppers come for inspiration for their online profiles rather than to actually purchase pieces.

“I love textiles and I love prints, but everyone thinks they’re going to make a living off of Poshmark [where users can buy or sell new and secondhand items],” Alvarez said. “You’re not having any connection to what it takes to put that out. How will I survive as a small business?”

Over the last several years Alvarez said she has noticed more shoppers mishandling her products while looking for the most unique pieces – even amidst an impending bedbug infestation.

Ultimately, shoppers like Garien are so devoted to the practice of thrifting that they believe curating individualized and distinctive outfits outweighs the risk of infesting their homes.

“I’m definitely one of those people who doesn’t like to wear what everyone else is wearing,” she said.

Tara Mobasher is a graduate student at Northwestern’s Medill School of Media, Journalism, Integrated Marketing Communications