Buying secondhand extends the lifespan of clothing, keeping it out of landfills and decreasing demand for new garment production. | Photo by cottonbro studio via Pexels.
What you probably already know: Buying new clothing is falling out of fashion. An analysis by online resale platform ThredUp predicts the global secondhand clothing market will grow more than two-and-a-half times faster than the overall apparel market to reach $367 billion by 2029. Last year, the global secondhand market grew 15% and accounted for 9% of all clothing purchases, with Asia leading the charge, followed by Europe and North America. The trend is expected to hold fairly steady at a 10% annual growth rate over the next few years. ThredUp forecasts a similar outlook in the United States, where the secondhand market — which includes “offline” thrifted and donated items — is expected to hit $74 billion by 2029.
Why? Most of this projected growth will be driven by younger generations shopping online resale platforms. Data going back to 2019 shows steadily increasing gains across the global secondhand market, reaching record highs in 2024 when 58% of consumers shopped for secondhand clothing. Saving money by getting better deals is, of course, the top reason most people buy secondhand, but many are also in it for the thrill of the hunt and to find quality clothing with good resale value. Nearly half of consumers said they’ve backed away from buying cheap, lower-quality items because they can’t resell them. In 2024, 27% of all consumers resold apparel as the popularity of social commerce platforms like TikTok Shop surges, especially among younger consumers. Secondhand shoppers also cite environmental benefits as a major motivator.
What it means: The fashion industry contributes about 20% of industrial water pollution, 30% of microplastic pollution in the ocean and 3% to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to a 2020 study. Mountains of textile waste are piling up in places like Chile, where tens of thousands of tons of clothing — much of which is synthetic and not biodegradable — end up in massive dumpsites every year in the Atacama Desert. Air pollution from the burning of this waste exposes nearby communities (many of which are low-income) to toxic, potentially carcinogenic air pollution. In Ghana, an endless stream of used clothing from overseas enters sensitive wetlands and coastal habitats, contaminating water sources and exacerbating flooding. While global efforts such as switching to sustainable and biodegradable textiles help, the most effective solution is simple: We need to regulate overproduction. Lawmakers in several states have introduced legislation targeting this issue.
What happens next: Embracing the demand for secondhand can benefit forward-thinking retailers. Nearly half of consumers said they’re more likely to make a first-time purchase with a brand if it offers takeback programs, like providing shopping credit for used apparel, and 40% said they prefer to buy secondhand items from a brand before buying a new item from it for the first time. According to ThredUp’s report, 48% of retail executives say their companies aren’t prioritizing circular business models like resale because social, environmental and governance is not important enough to their customers, but 56% of younger generations say brands aren’t doing enough to improve their sustainability practices. Still, most retail execs who don’t currently offer a resale program are considering adopting one in the future, especially as changes to tariff and trade policies disrupt global supply chains.
— Story by Cambrie Juarez
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