What is Second Hand Fashion & Why is it Important?
The same questions keep popping up: ‘What is second-hand fashion? Why is it important? Can I buy fast fashion if it is second-hand?’ So, I decided to do some research. Here’s what I found.
What is second hand fashion?
Second-hand fashion refers to pre-owned clothing that is given a second life through resale or donation. These items include everything from vintage and luxury clothing to affordable pieces in thrift stores, charity shops or online platforms like Vestiaire Collective and other peer-to-peer marketplaces. Secondhand items can range from designer labels to everyday basics, offering something for every style and price range.
The second-hand clothing market has grown significantly in recent years, with more conscious consumers and young people, particularly Gen Z, embracing pre-loved clothes as a sustainable choice. Social shopping apps, resale platforms, and even physical vintage stores and charity shops often support this movement.
The term ‘preloved’ means roughly the same thing; however, it also suggests someone loved the items before they were resold. Most clothes I buy second-hand still have the tags attached, so they aren’t actually ‘preloved’. This is why I prefer to use the term ‘secondhand’.
However, I have encountered some people who feel uncomfortable with the term ‘second hand’; it makes them feel like they are buying something old, used, or of lesser quality. Therefore, I believe ‘preloved’ could also be a term people use to feel better about shopping second-hand.
Why is second-hand fashion important?
Secondhand fashion is vital because, more than ever, people are starting to understand the impact of their shopping habits on the planet. This is shown through the many retailers embracing the secondhand market to satisfy customer demand!
It appears it is only a matter of time before resale and second-hand clothing become more mainstream.
According to Thred Up (2022):
- 74% of fast fashion shoppers think their consumption will significantly affect the planet.
- 50% of these think shopping for fast fashion is harmful to the environment.
- 48% of shoppers say they avoid buying fast fashion where they can.
- 43% feel guilty for wearing or purchasing fast fashion.
More people admit wanting to quit fast fashion and purchase more second-hand garments. Therefore, second-hand fashion is crucial and inevitable in the future of retail.
‘The choice to embrace reuse is not always easy when we are faced with endless options—many of which encourage the purchasing of cheap, disposable fashion— but the rise of online resale is enabling us to make different choices and do so with pride and joy.’ – Aja Barber, author of Consumed, 2021
Is second-hand fashion sustainable?
I thought the answer to this would be a resounding yes, but after some research, it’s far more complicated than anticipated.
Second-hand fashion is inherently sustainable because it extends the lifespan of clothing, reducing the need for new items. It promotes re-commerce business models and supports the resale market, crucial for a more sustainable fashion industry. Platforms like Vestiaire Collective and online consignment stores have made connecting interested buyers with pre-owned clothes more effortless than ever, creating a reliable platform for conscious consumers. Additionally, the resale market encourages mindful shopping. Instead of contributing to the environmental impact of fast-fashion brands, second-hand shopping aligns with sustainable fashion values, helping reduce waste and conserve resources.
However, a question remains: Is secondhand fashion becoming like fast fashion?
Are we still overconsuming? Are our new purchases being replaced with secondhand clothes, or are we just adding to them? Whether shopping secondhand or brand new, we as a society still crave constant newness and, therefore, still overconsume.
Let’s examine how we consume secondhand fashion and whether it’s sustainable.
Charity Shops
Oxfam, the secondhand giant, believes buying secondhand is more sustainable and stylish. It has been reusing and reselling clothing since 1948 and, in 1974, became the first national charity to develop a facility for recycling and reusing clothes.
In the U.K., 11 million clothing items are sent to landfills every week, but Oxfam saves clothing weighing the equivalent of the Eiffel Tower from landfills yearly.
Oxfam wants you to buy secondhand, instead of new, to increase this positive impact. Their Second Hand September campaign has also inspired thousands of people (more than 26,000 in 2022) to shop this way.
The Online Market Place
When we purchase secondhand clothes from an online marketplace, there are more minor details we might not think about. Where are our purchases being shipped from? What packaging will they be wrapped in? Are they eco-friendly?
Secondhand resale apps like Vinted and depop use a peer-to-peer model, and users have zero control over where or how the items are sent. These may seem like minor issues, but they should be addressed.
Second Hand Fast Fashion
There is such a stigma around fast fashion that people are finally starting to buy less, which is excellent! But with all the negative press around fast fashion, getting rid of these items from our wardrobes and refusing to buy fast fashion from local charity shops is worsening the waste crisis.
Purchasing a fast-fashion garment from your local charity shop saves it from going to landfill, which is helpful! However, I would argue that it would depend on which type of fast fashion we are talking about. Ultra-fast fashion brands like Boohoo, H&M, and Pretty Little Thing are such lousy quality that shortly after your purchase, the item will break anyway, so it isn’t the best investment to make.
So, maybe the answer is yes, shopping secondhand is sustainable, but some methods are more sustainable than others.
What happens to second-hand clothes?
150 billion clothing items are produced yearly, but where do they go?
This answer might shock you!
I thought donated clothes all got a second life and ended up in someone else’s wardrobe, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Second-hand clothes often go through multiple cycles before reaching new owners. Items donated to thrift stores or charity shops may be sold locally, while high-quality pieces are usually listed on global marketplaces or online consignment platforms. Vintage stores and luxury resale platforms specialise in designer pieces, offering them to conscious buyers at affordable prices.
Clothing not sold is most likely exported to other countries, recycled into new materials, or repurposed for industrial uses. According to Oxfam, more than 70% of clothing donated globally will be sold to buyers in developing economies.
Statistics show that Ghana receives the most clothing donations from the UK. It is home to West Africa’s largest second-hand market, Kantamanto. Kantamanto is a community of individuals where upcyclers, recyclers, seamstresses, artists, and designers are working together to salvage the Global North’s fashion excess—the clothing waste crisis.
It is estimated that 40% of these donations will end up in landfills or the sea immediately. This is horrifying.
With the rise of fast fashion, the quality of clothing received is too poor to be reused.
Brands like H&M, Boohoo, and ASOS are found on the floor of the market as they are seen as trash. Ghana cannot deal with this amount of textile waste, and it’s affecting the ecosystem.
We need to do more! We cannot treat other countries as trash cans for our unwanted, cheap ‘disposable’ clothing.
Check out this video with The Or Foundation for more info.
How do we look after our clothes for longer?
In the UK, the average lifetime for a clothing garment is estimated to be 2.2 years. Extending the active life of clothing by nine months can significantly reduce its environmental impact.
It is important to reduce the amount of clothing we donate or throw away. But we must start by taking care of the garments we already own.
We can do that by:
- Buying better quality pieces & reducing the amount of clothing we buy
- Following washing instructions and care guides
- Be willing to repeat and re-wear clothing more often
- Having the ability to repair or alter clothing
- Purchasing items we love that we will wear for years
- Trying not to follow micro trends and buy more classic pieces that don’t go out of fashion
- Being able to refashion and upcycle clothing we already own when we feel like a change
Here are some great ideas and information about how to love your clothes for longer.
You may find the post WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION & WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? interesting.
Or, if you’re looking for a fun place to go thrifting, check out Vintage Kilo Sale: A Beginner’s Guide and let me know what you think.
