The jittery economy is having a positive effect on consignment and resale shops, said Rochelle Bolton, owner of Glam Slam, an upscale consignment clothing shop on Hixson Pike.

“It has become ‘cool’ to buy previously worn clothes,” she said. “Not only is it a way to save money, it’s also a way to be ‘green.’ ”

Chattanooga businesswoman Donna Knowles Killian agreed.

“I see it as a way to help the environment,” Ms. Killian said. “I love to recycle, so why not wear recycled clothes? Plus, you are usually helping a nonprofit such as Goodwill, Northside Neighborhood House, etc., so the money you spend helps a good cause.”

The resale industry is a recession-resistant segment of retailing, according to the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops. “The appeal is twofold — consumers are attracted to buying quality merchandise at a fraction of the original cost and there is a financial incentive to sell, consign or donate their unused or unwanted items,” according to a commentary on the trade group’s Web site.

There is a backlog of nearly 8,000 pieces of clothing and accessories yet to be put out on the floor at Glam Slam, Ms. Bolton said, explaining that she has nearly 400 new consignors this year.

“The clothes are leaving the store almost as quickly as they come in, but we have so much merchandise coming in that we’ve had to rearrange the store as many as three times in one week to make room to sell it,” she said. “And we’ve got 3,000 square feet of retail space. We are seeing such a tremendous number of new consignors that we’re able to be extremely choosy as to what we sell.”

One consignor recently brought in 600 items to sell, Ms. Bolton said. “It’s all current fashions. It’s wonderful for my store and my customers.”

June Puett, University of Tennessee Agriculture Extension agent, said many consumers are shopping at consignment and resale shops for the first time.

“Unfortunately, I think many consumers will revert back to old spending habits when the economy picks up,” Ms. Puett said. “We need to change our habits from spending to saving in order to be prepared for the next financial emergency, whether it’s a car breaking down or losing our job.”

Though Glam Slam is known for carrying designer labels at slashed prices, Ms. Bolton is mindful of the current down economy.

“My inventory is not exclusively high end,” she said. “Though our main focus is name brands, I want it to be affordable. What I don’t want to do is to cut out a lot of ladies on a fixed budget for their clothing.”

Though the economy is playing a significant role in increased sales at Glam Slam, Ms. Bolton said there’s yet another reason sales are good.

“I have a lot of teenage girls and young women who have a different mind-set of fashion,” she said. “When I was growing up, we wore cookie-cutter clothing meaning we all wore the same labels, the same styles. We all wanted to look alike. This generation wants to express their personalities and individualities and it doesn’t matter whether or not it’s on the runway. They wear what they like and I say go for it.”