The number of clothing items purchased every year has doubled in the last 15 years. We're buying more clothes and we're also throwing away many of these purchases. Brands need to change the way clothes are made so they are more durable or recyclable, but we as consumers also have an essential role to play by changing how we consume.

Second-hand clothing

Shopping second-hand is becoming easier and more accessible than ever. Online thrifting is growing, and some believe the resale sector may become bigger than fast fashion. <ul><li>Buying vintage and second-hand provides a refreshing and more sustainable way to shop.</li><li>Buying pre-owned clothes prevents using additional resources in the manufacturing process.</li><li>Shopping second-hand is cheaper and more accessible.</li></ul>

The rise of second hand shopping

<ul><li>Poor quality fast fashion. Only a small percentage of donated clothing is of sufficient quality to be re-sold.</li><li>Outsourcing to developing nations. Developing countries are inundated with unwanted clothes. Some countries such as Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda have banned, or are considering banning, used clothing turning up on their doorstep.</li><li>Thrift flipping. Buying pre-owned items and customising them is a threat to disadvantaged people who used to benefit from second-hand items.</li></ul>

Issues with second hand

The number of items purchased every year has doubled in the last 15 years. We’re buying more and more clothing, and we’re also throwing away a lot of these purchases, with <a href="https://www.roadrunnerwm.com/blog/textile-waste-environmental-crisis#:~:text=The%20volume%20of%20clothing%20Americans,total%20MSW%20generation%20that%20year" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">84% of clothing ending up in landfills or incinerators</a>.It’s a shocking number, and it’s not sustainable. We can’t go on buying new items at this rate, and finding ways to get more use out of each piece in our wardrobes is crucial if we want to reduce the impact of our fashion choices on the planet.Brands need to change the ways clothes are made so they are more durable or recyclable, but we, consumers and citizens, also have an essential role to play. By changing the way we consume, voting with our dollar, and choosing better brands and practices, we can push the whole industry forward.Shopping second hand is said to be one of the things we can do to reduce the footprint of our wardrobes. But is shopping second hand sustainable? Today, we look at the rise, impact, and issues linked to shopping pre-owned clothing.<h2>The rise of second hand shopping</h2>Many people saw secondhand clothing as dirty, old, dull, and frankly unattractive for a long time. People thought that going to a thrift shop, op shop, or flea market meant you had to spend hours, even days, dutifully digging through piles of discarded clothes in the hopes of finding one good piece that would hopefully be the correct size.But things have changed. Shopping second hand is becoming easier and more accessible than ever, and as a result, the resale market is booming. Resale platform thredUP predicts <a href="https://www.thredup.com/resale/#resale-growth" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">online thrifting will grow 69% between 2019 and 2021</a>, and some even believe that <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sanfordstein/2019/03/26/resale-revamp-thanks-to-thredup-and-the-realreal/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">the resale sector will be bigger than fast fashion within ten years</a>.Today, with people being more worried about the planet and their finances than ever, they will likely turn to their local second hand shops or resale websites. These sites like <a href="https://www.depop.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">Depop</a>, <a href="https://www.therealreal.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">The Real Real</a>, or <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/100233050/type/dlg/SID/second-hand-sustainable-vestiaire-collective/https://www.vestiairecollective.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">Vestiaire Collective</a> have truly revolutionised the way we think about second hand.While some experts worried the pandemic would negatively impact the resale sector due to consumers being worried about hygiene, the contrary happened. <a href="https://bmilab.com/blog/2021/2/2/the-rise-of-second-hand-fashion-exploring-the-opportunities-of-re-commerce" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">People found more time to clean out their wardrobes</a>! Retailers are noticing this growing trend, and many are seizing the second hand opportunity, like <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/apr/28/asda-to-sell-vintage-clothes-in-50-stores-in-sustainability-push" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">Asda, which began to sell second hand clothes in its supermarkets just a couple of weeks ago</a>.<figure><img srcset="https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Sustainabke.jpg 2000w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Sustainabke-150x75.jpg 150w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Sustainabke-768x384.jpg 768w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Sustainabke-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Sustainabke-640x320.jpg 640w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Sustainabke-100x50.jpg 100w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Sustainabke-300x150.jpg 300w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Sustainabke-1600x800.jpg 1600w" alt="" width="584" height="292"></figure>Wherever you are in the world, if you go to a mall or shopping centre, you’ll likely find a Zara, or an H&amp;M, or a Forever 21. Society is dominated by these fast fashion giants, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and confused about which brands are worth supporting.Buying vintage and second hand provides a refreshing and, yes, more sustainable way to shop.<h3>Better for people, the planet, and animals</h3>Buying pre-owned clothes allows us to add items to our wardrobe without using additional resources in the manufacturing process. <a href="https://www.insider.com/resale-clothing-sustainable-recycle-donate-used-thrifted-2020-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10%of global carbon emissions</a>, uses massive amounts of water, and exploits workers and animals worldwide. Buying clothes that already exist slows down the fast fashion cycle and the relentless demands on low-paid workers in the supply chain. You’re also keeping clothes out of landfills by giving them a new life and discovering unique and special pieces along the way. Gone are the days of arriving at a party wearing the same dress or t-shirt as your friend.<h3>More accessible</h3>Finally, shopping second hand is cheaper and more accessible! Many people are worried about the cost of sustainable fashion, but honestly, building an ethical wardrobe doesn’t have to be expensive, and buying second hand is a great first step.Good On You helps you discover and support our favourite ethical and sustainable fashion brands, but we also recommend buying second hand, either from your local second hand shops or from apps and websites like Depop, Farfetch (who now has a “Pre-Owned” section) or Vestiaire Collective, where you can find some fantastic pieces in mint condition! To help you out on your second hand shopping journey, here a few of our favourite brands to shop pre-owned:<h2>Issues with second hand</h2><figure><img srcset="https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Ethical.jpg 2000w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Ethical-150x75.jpg 150w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Ethical-768x384.jpg 768w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Ethical-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Ethical-640x320.jpg 640w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Ethical-100x50.jpg 100w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Ethical-300x150.jpg 300w, https://goodonyou.eco/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Shopping-SecondHand-Ethical-1600x800.jpg 1600w" alt="" width="584" height="292"></figure>We love shopping second hand, but we also recognise that it can create specific problems without care and consideration.<h3>Poor quality fast fashion</h3>In the second hand market, only a small percentage of donated clothing is of sufficient quality to be re-sold, with cheap fast fashion less likely to survive the sorting process. And even when these items do pass the sorting test, their low quality means they are less durable and will likely be thrown away or re-sold after a few wears. Yes, shopping fast fashion second hand is better than buying it new, but we still need to be mindful and take care of items once they’re in our wardrobes.In the case of rental marketplaces featuring ‘on-trend’ brands, styles still become obsolete alarmingly quickly, contributing to the problem of excess textile waste. Shopping second hand could be another form of mass consumption. Do we really need to keep filling our closets with cheap fast fashion, even if it’s second hand?<h3>Outsourcing to developing nations</h3>In addition to this, developing countries are inundated with unwanted clothes. Some countries such as Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda have banned, or are considering banning, used clothing turning up on their doorstep. The excess clothing problem is outsourced to countries with less capacity to deal with it and can often destroy the local clothing industry.<h3>Thrift flipping</h3>With the rise of second hand shopping comes the rise of mending, upcycling, and DIYs. On paper, buying a pre-owned item and customising it to your liking, or ‘thrift flipping’, sounds great, but it’s also a threat for disadvantaged people who can’t find cheap, trendy clothes anymore because they are being bought up to be flipped. <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2020/09/05/is-thrift-flipping-a-harmless-hobby-or-a-thoughtless-way-of-screwing-over-disadvantaged-and-plus-size-people-13227692/" rel="noopener" dir="ltr">According to Metro</a>, thrift flips also make it harder to acquire plus-size clothing: “by buying bigger sizes and turning them into cute co-ords in a smaller size, or choosing much larger sizes for a smaller bodies to have an oversized fit, the demand for plus sizes have gone up in thrift shops without the stock to fulfill it.”Life isn’t black and white. Yes, shopping second hand is generally more sustainable than buying new. We just have to be mindful of the grey areas! By taking into account the different issues thrifting can create, only buying what we need, and taking care of our clothes so they last longer, we can foster an ethical and sustainable second hand clothing market for everyone.

It is said to be one of the best things we can do to reduce the footprint of our wardrobes. So is shopping second hand sustainable?

Stashed ideas

The number of items purchased every year has doubled in the last 15 years. We’re buying more and more clothing, and we’re also throwing away a lot of these purchases, with <a href="https://www.roadrunnerwm.com/blog/textile-waste-environmental-crisis#:~:text=The%20volume%20of%20clothing%20Americans,total%20MSW%20generation%20that%20year">84% of clothing ending up in landfills or incinerators </a>.

It’s a shocking number, and it’s not sustainable. We can’t go on buying new items at this rate, and finding ways to get more use out of each piece in our wardrobes is crucial if we want to reduce the impact of our fashion choices on the planet.

Brands need to change the ways clothes are made so they are more durable or recyclable, but we, consumers and citizens, also have an essential role to play. By changing the way we consume, voting with our dollar, and choosing better brands and practices, we can push the whole industry forward.

Shopping second hand is said to be one of the things we can do to reduce the footprint of our wardrobes. But is shopping second hand sustainable? Today, we look at the rise, impact, and issues linked to shopping pre-owned clothing.

Many people saw secondhand clothing as dirty, old, dull, and frankly unattractive for a long time. People thought that going to a thrift shop, op shop, or flea market meant you had to spend hours, even days, dutifully digging through piles of discarded clothes in the hopes of finding one good piece that would hopefully be the correct size.

But things have changed. Shopping second hand is becoming easier and more accessible than ever, and as a result, the resale market is booming. Resale platform thredUP predicts <a href="https://www.thredup.com/resale/#resale-growth">online thrifting will grow 69% between 2019 and 2021 </a>, and some even believe that <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sanfordstein/2019/03/26/resale-revamp-thanks-to-thredup-and-the-realreal/">the resale sector will be bigger than fast fashion within ten years </a>.

Today, with people being more worried about the planet and their finances than ever, they will likely turn to their local second hand shops or resale websites. These sites like <a href="https://www.depop.com/">Depop </a>, <a href="https://www.therealreal.com/">The Real Real </a>, or <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/100233050/type/dlg/SID/second-hand-sustainable-vestiaire-collective/https://www.vestiairecollective.com/">Vestiaire Collective </a>have truly revolutionised the way we think about second hand.

While some experts worried the pandemic would negatively impact the resale sector due to consumers being worried about hygiene, the contrary happened. <a href="https://bmilab.com/blog/2021/2/2/the-rise-of-second-hand-fashion-exploring-the-opportunities-of-re-commerce">People found more time to clean out their wardrobes </a>! Retailers are noticing this growing trend, and many are seizing the second hand opportunity, like <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/apr/28/asda-to-sell-vintage-clothes-in-50-stores-in-sustainability-push">Asda, which began to sell second hand clothes in its supermarkets just a couple of weeks ago </a>.

Wherever you are in the world, if you go to a mall or shopping centre, you’ll likely find a Zara, or an H&M, or a Forever 21. Society is dominated by these fast fashion giants, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and confused about which brands are worth supporting.

Buying vintage and second hand provides a refreshing and, yes, more sustainable way to shop.

Better for people, the planet, and animals

Buying pre-owned clothes allows us to add items to our wardrobe without using additional resources in the manufacturing process. <a href="https://www.insider.com/resale-clothing-sustainable-recycle-donate-used-thrifted-2020-1">The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10%of global carbon emissions </a>, uses massive amounts of water, and exploits workers and animals worldwide. Buying clothes that already exist slows down the fast fashion cycle and the relentless demands on low-paid workers in the supply chain. You’re also keeping clothes out of landfills by giving them a new life and discovering unique and special pieces along the way. Gone are the days of arriving at a party wearing the same dress or t-shirt as your friend.

Finally, shopping second hand is cheaper and more accessible! Many people are worried about the cost of sustainable fashion, but honestly, building an ethical wardrobe doesn’t have to be expensive, and buying second hand is a great first step.

Good On You helps you discover and support our favourite ethical and sustainable fashion brands, but we also recommend buying second hand, either from your local second hand shops or from apps and websites like Depop, Farfetch (who now has a “Pre-Owned” section) or Vestiaire Collective, where you can find some fantastic pieces in mint condition! To help you out on your second hand shopping journey, here a few of our favourite brands to shop pre-owned:

We love shopping second hand, but we also recognise that it can create specific problems without care and consideration.

In the second hand market, only a small percentage of donated clothing is of sufficient quality to be re-sold, with cheap fast fashion less likely to survive the sorting process. And even when these items do pass the sorting test, their low quality means they are less durable and will likely be thrown away or re-sold after a few wears. Yes, shopping fast fashion second hand is better than buying it new, but we still need to be mindful and take care of items once they’re in our wardrobes.

In the case of rental marketplaces featuring ‘on-trend’ brands, styles still become obsolete alarmingly quickly, contributing to the problem of excess textile waste. Shopping second hand could be another form of mass consumption. Do we really need to keep filling our closets with cheap fast fashion, even if it’s second hand?

In addition to this, developing countries are inundated with unwanted clothes. Some countries such as Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda have banned, or are considering banning, used clothing turning up on their doorstep. The excess clothing problem is outsourced to countries with less capacity to deal with it and can often destroy the local clothing industry.

With the rise of second hand shopping comes the rise of mending, upcycling, and DIYs. On paper, buying a pre-owned item and customising it to your liking, or ‘thrift flipping’, sounds great, but it’s also a threat for disadvantaged people who can’t find cheap, trendy clothes anymore because they are being bought up to be flipped. <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2020/09/05/is-thrift-flipping-a-harmless-hobby-or-a-thoughtless-way-of-screwing-over-disadvantaged-and-plus-size-people-13227692/">According to Metro </a>, thrift flips also make it harder to acquire plus-size clothing: “by buying bigger sizes and turning them into cute co-ords in a smaller size, or choosing much larger sizes for a smaller bodies to have an oversized fit, the demand for plus sizes have gone up in thrift shops without the stock to fulfill it.”

Life isn’t black and white. Yes, shopping second hand is generally more sustainable than buying new. We just have to be mindful of the grey areas! By taking into account the different issues thrifting can create, only buying what we need, and taking care of our clothes so they last longer, we can foster an ethical and sustainable second hand clothing market for everyone.

Is Shopping Second Hand Sustainable? - Good On You

Second-hand clothing

The rise of second hand shopping

Issues with second hand

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Is Shopping Second Hand Sustainable? - Good On You

Second-hand clothing

The rise of second hand shopping

Issues with second hand

It's time to Read like a Pro.

An Approachable Guide To Creating A Minimalist Wardrobe

5 ways AI is transforming the fashion industry for sustainability

What Is Fast Fashion?

It's time to
Read like a Pro.