When it comes to clothing, second life is my first choice! In the past shopping secondhand often held quite the stigma – if it wasn’t new, it wasn’t worth it. It’s only recently that the stereotype has shifted, and this can be attributed to the simultaneous rise of vintage fashion trends and a move towards environmental impact awareness.
Consumers are now concerned about where their clothing comes from and the natural resources used to manufacture new additions to their wardrobe. According to Gumtree’s Secondhand Economy Report, the secondhand economy is now worth a staggering $43 billion. Purchasing pre-loved clothing is now considered the style-savvy and sustainably conscious way to shop.
A comprehensive report by Farfetch estimates that each pre-loved clothing purchase saves 1kg waste, 3040 litres of water, 22kg CO2. Buying secondhand also reduces the amount of clothing being sent to landfill where synthetic fibres can take 20 to 200 years to break down (Close The Loop). The following table from Farfetch lists the environmental impact of each newly created fashion item:
Next time you’re looking to update your wardrobe, consider shopping for secondhand. There are now a multitude of outlets offering bargain buys and vintage finds – we recommend browsing your local op shop, searching online via Etsy or Facebook Marketplace or perusing the range available at World’s Biggest Garage Sale!
We have a range of items listed on fashion marketplace Depop (@wbgs_global) – a brilliant way to discover unique and sustainable items especially during a pandemic. It supports a global community buying, selling and connecting to make fashion more inclusive, diverse and less wasteful. This is what transforming fashion looks like. And we can deliver to you during these times of lockdown and uncertainty.
Do you have pre-loved clothing taking up space? Give your high quality secondhand goods including clothing via our contactless Goods for Good drop-off. We’ll make sure these items keep circulating in the economy. To find out more – visit our page here.
