1 April 2025
An outfit that is always in fashion? Go for timeless basics!
- COSH! Member Publicity
- Lifestyle
The advantages of ‘preloved fashion’
Buying second-hand is becoming increasingly popular. Research by the MacArthur Foundation predicts that by 2029 the second-hand market will be almost twice as big as the fast fashion industry. And there are good reasons for that! Are you still doubting whether second-hand clothing is something for you? Then maybe these advantages will convince you.
1. Second-hand clothes are good for the environment.
Do you know how much CO2 emissions you can save on average with a second-hand purchase?
According to calculations in the UK, the second-hand industry reduces CO2 emissions by 10,072 tonnes annually. Because when you replace a new purchase with a second-hand piece, no new garment has to be made. This means that less valuable raw materials are extracted from the earth, you reduce the pile of textile waste and less fossil fuels are released into the atmosphere! In concrete terms, with each second-hand purchase you save an average of 1 kg of waste, 3,040 litres of water, and 22 kg of CO2.
2. Second-hand clothes reduce waste
Did you know that every second, one garbage truck with textiles is dumped or burned? As a result, an estimated $500 billion in value is lost annually. Because the clothes are hardly ever worn and rarely recycled.
The fast fashion industry ensures an enormous production of low quality clothing. As a result, the pile of textile waste continues to grow. If nothing changes, the fashion industry will consume a quarter of the world’s carbon budget by 2050.
The second-hand industry offers an answer to the current linear model in which the production of new clothes creates tons of waste and extends the lifespan of clothes. As a result, less clothing ends up in landfill!
3. Second-hand clothes create social employment
Ethical second-hand chains, such as De Kringwinkel or Oxfam, offer suitable jobs to people who have few opportunities on the regular labour market. Thanks to social employment, these people gain experience and a future perspective.
4. Second-hand clothes are unique
Second-hand shopping is a bit like a treasure hunt. It takes a bit more time to find a suitable piece of clothing. But if you search well, you will be rewarded with unique finds! You can be sure that your colleagues or friends will not find the same clothes. Besides, vintage clothes are trendy too! Do you want to develop a unique clothing style? Then thrift shopping is the ideal option for you!
5. Second hand shopping can save you money
Shopping at second-hand shops is also a smart choice, because you can save a lot of money with it! Do you want to find quality clothing at a lower price? Then it is certainly worthwhile to go on a quest in a second-hand shop.
Is second hand clothing a sustainable choice?
At first glance, second-hand shopping is certainly a sustainable and ethical option. But beware, because this sector faces several ethical and ecological challenges. As the second-hand industry takes an increasingly important market share, it is important that it really takes on these challenges. Want to know more? Then be sure to read on here.
Do you want to discover ethical second-hand shops via COSH! Be sure to take a look at our shopping guide
Experience more about this topic:
What happens with the textile waste of the fashion industry?
Where to donate textiles in a responsible way?
How does recycling of clothing happen?
The supply chains of famous second hand shops in Belgium
The role of the EU on the journey to a circular economy
Second hand clothes: trendy or a necessity?
