It’s safe to say that people are becoming a lot more aware of the environmental crisis and why we need to do more to help reduce carbon emissions and other pollutants. A lot of people have turned to their consumer habits in order to do their bit, from eating less meat, using less one-time-use plastics to shopping for their clothes second-hand. Of course we LOVE that buying your clothes second-hand has become the new norm, but in case you weren’t sure, here are the facts to PROVE it!
Stigma
There definitely used to be a bit of a stigma attached to buying second-hand clothes, but statistics not only show that more people are open to the idea, but that it is actually becoming the norm, especially for younger generations…
- 80% of people in the 23 and under age bracket state there is NO stigma attached to buying used fashion, which should only get bigger with generations to come.
- 90% of this age bracket are open to shopping second-hand.
- 62% of Gen-Z will look for an item second-hand BEFORE purchasing a new one.
Sustainability
Part of the reason that second-hand has become such an accepted way to shop is because of how aware people have become of the climate crisis and how much better shopping second-hand can be for the planet.
- Lyst, a global fashion search platform, found from their 2019 fashion report that people are searching for sustainability-related keywords more than ever.
- Sustainable fashion keyword searches have risen by 75% year-on-year.
- People are also trusting more in buying second-hand clothes to be sustainable, over “new” clothes which are being marketed as “sustainable”; this is due to lower prices and mistrust of brands greenwashing.
- Data from eBay showed that the equivalent weight of 900 double-decker buses was saved from landfill in 2020 from people shopping second-hand.
Popularity and Demand
As you’re probably already aware, buying and selling second-hand clothes has become a lot easier and a lot more accessible. It really is the new way to shop! With so many new platforms becoming available to buy and sell second-hand items, it’s never been easier. Demand has also forced the retail industry to adapt and give more second-hand/ resale options!
- There has been an increase of 31% in the number of preloved fashion items being listed on eBay since 2017.
- The second-hand clothing market is expected to be twice the size of fast fashion by the year 2030 along with being over double the worth.
- 118 million consumers have tried reselling for the first time in 2021, compared to just 36.2 million first-time sellers in 2020.
- 70% of respondents to a study say it is now easier to shop for preloved products than it was 5 years ago.
- Brands such as Hugo Boss, Ganni, Marks & Spencer, Lululemon and Pacsun have all announced either the launch or expansion of their resale offerings.
- 88% of retail executives who currently offer resale say it’s helping drive revenue.
