The REAL Impact of Secondhand Fashion
In recent years, there has been a growing trend toward secondhand fashion — and for good reason. Purchasing pre-loved items isn’t only good for the environment, but also for the economy and society. Instead of just throwing around a bunch of fancy numbers, we're going to break down the real impact shopping secondhand has on YOU & everything around you:
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There are numbers tossed around the internet daily regarding the impact of secondhand fashion, how much water it takes to make a single t-shirt, how many animals lose a home every time you buy a brand new jacket… Alright calm down. We’re not here to scare you! But, we do want you to know the simple facts about the fashion industry:
The fashion industry is the second-largest consumer of water worldwide (agriculture/fruit & vegetable farming is the first - which makes sense!)
The fashion industry is the second-largest polluter in the world, second only to the oil industry. C’mon, that’s pretty embarrassing.
Fast fashion is responsible for producing 92 million tons of textile waste each year, which is equivalent to one garbage truck full of clothing being burned or landfilled every second.
Last one just because this is a crazy stat — Fast fashion has accelerated the pace of clothing production by producing/advertising to us 52 “micro-seasons” per year. Wtf is a micro-season?!
When written out like that, it all sounds kind of ridiculous don’t you think?!
Buying second hand, even half the time, is such a small change that truly does make a big impact. A UK report estimated back in 2019 that if every adult in the UK bought one item of clothing second hand instead of new in 2020, it would save the equivalent carbon emissions of taking 1.2 million cars off the road for a year. That's just one piece of clothing! Imagine what would happen if 20% or even 50% of our closets consisted of secondhand fashion…
GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY & YOUR WALLET
The secondhand fashion industry is a significant contributor to the economy, with the global resale market estimated to be worth around $53 billion this year! Far surpassing the $36 billion originally estimated.
Also, why pay full price for something (that is going to be “out of style” in 3-6 months) when you can buy something just as good for half or even a quarter of the price?! Secondhand clothes are often much cheaper than new clothes, which makes it a smart way to shop. You can get high-quality items for a fraction of the original price, and sometimes you can even find designer pieces at a discount! It’s all about the hunt, which is half the fun.
ORIGINAL STYLE >> TRENDY
The other half of the fun — finding unique pieces!
Storytime: When I was in college, we would often shop at the local GoodWill when we had themed parties to go to. It was cheap and full of amazing things! One time I found a Levi’s wool jean jacket for $10!! Today, those sell for over $100 and I found one in near perfect condition for a fraction of the price. I still have it today and wear it ALL THE TIME! (I bought it over 8 years ago!) I constantly get compliments on it and everyone is always in awe over the fact that it was thrifted — impressive, I know!
Thrift stores and vintage shops are full of one-of-a-kind items that you can't find anywhere else. You can also get creative and customize your secondhand pieces to fit your style and personality.
Sooooo… Who is ready to go secondhand shopping?!