Secondhand Clothing Market
The global second-hand clothing market is a big business, with sales projected to be as much as Apple’s annual sales in 2024, according to retail analyst Neil Saunders. The younger Gen Z and Millennial consumers are driving the demand for second-hand clothing, and it’s not just about being frugal. Many people see it as a way to be sustainable and reduce waste in the fashion industry.
The Problem with Fast Fashion
The fashion industry is a dirty business, responsible for up to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions produced by humans. The rapid sales of cheap fashion mean that a truckload of clothing is burned or buried every second. Additionally, some items of clothing never see the inside of a store, with studies indicating that 10 to 30% of clothing is never actually sold. Most of it is treated as garbage.
The Resale Solution
The resale market promises to reduce waste and even cut the CO2 emissions of the fashion industry. A study found that sales with second-hand sales could reduce the carbon emissions of premium clothing and outdoor brands by 16% by 2040. However, the resale market is not without its challenges. The quality of second-hand clothing has declined in recent years, with fast-fashion brands such as Primark and Shein flooding the market with low-quality items.
Online Resale Platforms
The real business is taking place online, where 88% of US revenue was generated in 2024. Online resale platforms such as eBay, Poshmark, and Vinted have made it easy for consumers to buy and sell second-hand clothing. However, some of these platforms are closely linked to the core business model of new clothing brands, which can undermine the environmental promises of second-hand shopping.
The Blurred Lines between Mindful Reuse and Overconsumption
Some resale platforms use sales techniques such as countdown timers and "last chance" alerts to create urgency, which can lead to overconsumption. Martin Reimann, a marketing professor at the University of Arizona, notes that the same tools used to drive sales in fast fashion and e-commerce can restore overconsumption habits in a space that was originally deemed sustainable.
The Need for Transparency and Shift Goals
To ensure that the resale market does not become a further sales channel, experts are calling for brands to set "shift goals," such as replacing 10% of new clothing with used clothing. However, first, companies need to be transparent about how much they produce. The OR Foundation, a Ghanaian non-profit organization, notes that brands are often opaque about their production volume.
The Sustainability of Secondhand Clothing
While secondhand clothing can be a sustainable option, it’s not always the case. Researchers at Utrecht University found that the best way to reduce emissions is to wear items longer. A fashionable second-hand consumer who buys a used shirt but only wears it 10 times before discarding it creates more emissions than a buyer who purchases first-hand and wears it 80 times.
Conclusion
The secondhand clothing market has the potential to reduce waste and emissions in the fashion industry. However, it’s essential to be mindful of the quality of second-hand clothing, the sales techniques used by online platforms, and the need for transparency and shift goals. Ultimately, the most sustainable option may be to wear what we already have and only purchase what we need.
