Urban Outfitters Quietly Launched The Best Corner Of Vintage Goods

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks... but what about turning old tricks into a new dog? The dog in this scenario is actually a garment (sorry to disappoint), but our question remains: When looking at a pile of old clothes, do you see the contents of a landfill, or potential for creativity? The Urban Outfitters answer to this question is that, in their eyes, old stuff can look very much like new opportunity — at least as far as your closet is concerned.

The retailer recently launched its Urban Renewal platform with the goal of repurposing and reinventing sustainably-sourced vintage pieces. The landing page may be relatively new, but UO has actually been in the vintage business since the 1970s. So yes, this means they were in on the joy of thrift shopping long before Macklemore wrote a song about it.

The Urban Renewal team hand-picks merchandise for the section from around the world, dividing the goods up into categories like Remnants, which uses deadstock fabric to create brand-new designs, and Authentic Vintage, which is basically like sifting through the best second-hand finds minus the giant bottomless bin. While some stuff is totally one-of-a-kind, other pieces are given new life with everything from handcrafted dye techniques and paint splatter treatments. And this isn't just oversized jean jackets and retro-printed windbreakers we're talking about. You can expect to find vintage furniture pieces, eclectic throw pillows, and hair accessories galore (how about a set of deadstock butterfly hair clips to send you on a stroll down nostalgia lane?).

With products released every Wednesday and Monday, there's always something new (but also old) to uncover. So check out some of our top picks from this under-the-radar section of Urban Outfitters, and find yourself something pre-loved to love.