What do you mean secondhand clothes were never cool?! While that explains a lot about my childhood, it seems that younger Millennials and Gen Z shoppers are changing the trend. It’s no longer “uncool” to sport clothes that were purchased secondhand. In fact, it can provide a sense of pride, as younger generations realize that secondhand clothes are an environmentally sustainable way to enjoy fashion and save money.
Here’s why you shouldn’t turn your nose up at secondhand clothes and how you can get in on the trend.
Millennials and Gen Z are embracing secondhand clothes
Opinions toward secondhand clothes are shifting, and Millennials and Gen Z are leading the way as they embrace buying and selling secondhand clothes in record numbers. According to ThredUp’s 2020 Resale report, the resale sector is expected to more than double within the next five years to a market value of $64B. For comparison, this market, which includes both resale and traditional thrift & donation, was only $28B in 2019.
While the market has been moving in this direction for a while, the current pandemic has accelerated the trend. More people are worried about their financial security and looking for ways to make more money or adopt frugal habits.
According to ThredUp, the Online resale sector has grown especially fast during the pandemic as people quarantine cleaned and thrifted for affordable shopping. The survey showed that 70% women were open to shopping secondhand in 2019. This is dramatically higher than the 45% from 2016.
Additionally, younger shoppers are adopting secondhand fashion faster than any other age group as shown below. Within Gen Z, 80% now believe that there is no stigma to buying secondhand clothes.
Two reasons why secondhand clothes should be cool
1. Save you money
Shopping secondhand is the best way to save money on clothes without sacrificing quality. This is an especially great way to spend less on kids’ clothes (since they seem to change sizes every month) and on higher-end fashion.
Shopping secondhand can save you a bundle on pieces in great condition. With so many people selling online, and so many resale locations to choose from, it’s really easy to find what you need. You can often buy barely used or new items for 50% to 90% off retail prices on popular resale sites like Poshmark.
Even better, follow your local Facebook groups or other social networking groups to buy really cheap and find free items. This will further reduce your cost and carbon footprint as it eliminates the need for shipping.
A mom within one of my social groups recently offered to pass down some clothes that no longer fit her 5-year-old. Since our daughter is 4 and I’m not too proud to accept hand-me-downs, I jumped on the offer. There were so many clothes in the collection that we were able to share half with another mom and still have a full wardrobe for our daughter. For free! This will save us hundreds of dollars, and is a great way to reduce, reuse and recycle. I’m grateful for the family’s thoughtfulness. Hopefully we’ll be able to pass most of these clothes on to another family down the road.
Joining local groups that are relevant to you is a great way to find deals on things you need. After all, one woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure. We’ve both received and passed down a number of things for free within these groups over the years.
2. Reduce waste / Save the planet
Embracing secondhand clothes helps to reduce waste, which is good for the environment. This will become even more important as we continue to see efforts towards sustainability and a focus on ESG (managing money according to environmental, social & governance factors).
Believe it or not, fashion is one of the most pollutive industries in the world. According to ThredUp’s report, if everyone bought just one item used instead of new this year the impact on carbon emissions, water use and waste would be enormous. How big? This one small change would equate to planting 66 million new trees, taking 1.25 billion fewer showers, and having 18,700 fewer garbage trucks full of waste.
At the end of the day, this is the most eco-friendly way to get rid of clothing.
How you can join Millennials in the secondhand clothes trend
Buying and selling secondhand clothes is easy these days. With dozens of great online platforms available, you no longer have deal with local thrift or consignment stores. However, if you’re up for it, you can still get some great deals when buying at these old school spots.
Selling online
Do some research and choose the platform that aligns best with the experience you want. For example, if you have major brands to sell and don’t want to commit a lot of time, consider using ThredUp, a site whereby you mail in your unwanted clothes and they take care of the marketing. The payout percentages vary based on the sales price, from 3% up to 80% for items over $200. While you can get better payouts elsewhere, this site provides income that is truly passive.
If you want more control of your sales price and listings, consider using Poshmark, Mercari or Ebay.
I’ve tried several platforms to buy and sell, but my go-to has been Poshmark. I’ve used Poshmark to earn approximately $4,000 selling used clothes, handbags and accessories over the past few years. Each of these platforms require additional work on the front end to create your own listings and photos; however, they provide better control of your returns. You can price your own listings and offer discounts or negotiate with potential buyers as you see fit. I like that Poshmark lets me bundle listings together for discounts, provides a prepaid shipping label, and offers protections for both buyers and sellers. The pay-out is 80% on everything, except for sales under $15 which have a fixed commission of $2.95.
Buying secondhand
More interested in buying secondhand? Start with the platforms listed above. They will each have different inventory and you can typically buy items for 50% – 90% off the retail price. The shipping terms and guarantees differ based on the site so make sure you read the fine print.
For high end brands, check out The Real Real or Tradesy which specialize in the luxury market. Poshmark also has a significant market for luxury items and will authenticate and offer free shipping for anything over $500.
Or, think outside the box
Though buying secondhand is better than buying new, the solution to your need may not always involve buying something at all! Even better, right?
If you need a fancy dress or tuxedo for a special occasion, consider renting instead of buying. Or ask to borrow one from a friend for the day.
Join your local social groups to find opportunities to buy, sell or receive free items as we do. Mom’s groups are great for this. Kids require tons of gear, clothes and toys that are used for just a short amount of time. Even if they ultimately want to sell the items, they may be willing to loan something to you for a period of time. You can also set up a swap with friends or acquaintances.
Also, when you do buy, buy quality items. They’ll last longer and can be handed down later. It’s good for the environment and ultimately better for your bank account, even if the upfront cost is a little more. The one exception to this rule is for trendy items. If there is a trend you really want to get in on that may not last (and you can’t find it used from the last time it was in fashion), then consider buying a cheap version.
What do you think – Do secondhand clothes still have a stigma? How have you embraced the trend?
