Real truth - shopping second hand isn't always to most sustaianble option...
In truth, the rising trend of shopping second hand fashion has led to an overconsumption of preloved clothing. On eBay alone, the number of second hand items sold has increased 404% year on year! And a study by the Kantar Institute found that those who buy second hand as well as new fashion, tended to buy more clothes than those who bought just new items.
With is being Second Hand September, and so many people promoting shopping second hand, I thought it was important to raise awareness about the dangers of making shopping preloved mainstream.
The cheaper cost and easier access to buying second hand has easily led to an overconsumption trap - we buy things we don't need because the cost is low, but we feel good about ourselves as it's second hand.
But what's the alternative?
We can't continue buying or producing new clothing at the rate we are currently - there's already too much of it.
Instead we should keep sustainability in mind when buying second hand, just like how we would when buying new. So here are three ways to keep sustainability at the heart of our second hand purchases!
1) Buy things you NEED
Buying things we want or don't need just for the sake of it is never going to be sustainable. To avoid buying things emotionally or impulsively, make sure to go shopping with a plan.
Whenever you're getting dressed and realise your wardrobe is missing something add it to a list on your phone. That way when you're out and browsing second hand stores you can refer to this list to make sure you're sticking to what you actually need to buy.
BONUS TIP - if you're buying something online try waiting 24 hours before purchasing. If you still wake up the next morning feeling excited at the idea of wearing it then it's the right purchase for you. But many times you'll find that it's not so exciting once you've slept on it, maybe you realise the style isn't really you or you were captured by the low price tag, either way you've helped yourself avoid an unnecessary purchase!
2) Look for good quality pieces that will last
The sad reality is that fast fashion has flooded the second hand market. You can now buy everything from vintage pieces to Shein on sites like Depop or Vinted. Many of these fast fashion pieces are not even worth the cost to re-sell, so can even be priced higher than buying them new from the retailer!
The main problem with them though is their terrible quality. Fast fashion clothing is not made to last, it's supposed to be disposable so that you continue buying more. When you buy them second hand they've already been worn a few times so are already starting to lose their quality.
It's great that this clothing is finding a second life, but be aware of buying low cost, low quality second hand items. Look very clearly at the photos (don't be afraid to message the seller and ask for more!), read reviews of that item online, even ask for the materials information to make an informed decision before you purchase. The goal of second hand is create a circular economy, which is why it's key to buy things you know you can re-wear for years to come.
3) Choose items that complement your style & what you already own
We've all done it before. We've found the perfect dress for an occasion we have coming up. It's absolutely perfect, you look amazing, so obviously you buy it straight away. But when you get it home you realise you don't have any shoes that go with it, or all your handbags clash with the colour, so now you have to go out and buy all the extra pieces to complete the outfit. If instead you'd considered the accessories first then you could've saved yourself the extra time, money and cost to the environment that buying these extra pieces has resulted in.
Whenever you go to buy something stop and take a second to think about the items you already own. Will this new piece fit with the style of your wardrobe? Will it pair with your favourite trainers or will you need to buy some chunky heels as it's just that bit too long? Do you have a jacket, a top or a skirt that will pair nicely? Consider these questions before you click "Add to Cart" and regret your purchase once it arrives.
Now that you're armed with the tools to make the right decisions when shopping second hand, here are my favourite places to find that missing piece for your wardrobe:
1) Vinted - my favourite place to shop second hand. The app is so easy to use, much more affordable that Depop and you can select your own shipping options!
2) Depop - a classic for a reason. Depop helped make second hand shopping mainstream so they know how to make shopping second hand easy.
3) Oxfam - did you know, Oxfam has its own online preloved shop? Shop everything from clothes, to books, to homeware. You can find it here.
4) eBay - eBay has recently been investing a lot in its second hand marketplace. I've heard lots of stories about finding great clothing here.
I hope this blog post has helped inspire you to shop second hand more, but in a way that is responsible and considerate to our planet!
You can find out more about curating a sustainable wardrobe by following All Things Green (@all.things.greenn) over on Instagram or TikTok where we share daily content on how to live an imperfect sustainable lifestyle 💚
Want to read some more about fashion and the environment? Read some of our previous blogs here.
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