In this article I look at the recent rise in secondhand and sustainable clothing market sales and why it should become the first choice when shopping for anyone.
https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/shein-shops-open-uk-europe-26940712Firstly, I must admit that I have been using a fast fashion brand Shein for over 2 years. Shein ticked many boxes when it came to apparel shopping. The Chinese fast fashion giant offers low prices, fast & free shipping worldwide, and a wide range of new product designs added daily. The shipping to the UK takes about 6-9 days with no cost. Truthfully speaking, I shopped at Shein on almost every occasion. For example, my summer holiday trips, maternity clothing, and baby shower decorations. Everything seemed great until I started to look deeper into the sustainability side of the company and the effects that a company like Shein has.
At that time, I had never thought that I would discontinue shopping at Shein app. The app was and still is easy & simple to use, navigate, and complete purchase. Not like other shopping apps, Shein provides consumers with access to the latest fashion trends while adding 7,200 new product models daily, according to the French legislative text. The company offers the lowest prices in the market which sadly attracts the majority of customers with low disposable income.
Furthermore, in the latest report in the Financial Times, the Chinese fast fashion company has reported an extraordinary gain of profit – over £2 billion with an ambitious future plan. That does not shock me. Considering that the main target audience is young adults, teenagers, and customers who are affected by the cost-of-living crisis. I mean, young families who are struggling to buy the most essential products to support decent living. Now, more than ever before, people are money-conscious and priorities are survival. Vulnerable consumers can be more likely to be influenced to buy cheap products without them understanding the actual cause of the environment. In my opinion, one of the main reasons why people are buying things that are so cheap is lack of knowledge. If education were accessible from an early age and taught in schools, by the parents and environment, it might be a different story for fast fashion.
https://www.retail-insight-network.com/news/shein-30-stores-across-uk/European Countries Are Cautious About Fast Fashion
Still, the fast-fashion group is seeking Chinese approval for an IPO in New York or London. Therefore, European countries such as France, and Belgium are more worried if Shein’s shares go public. The main concern is that imported products are no longer China’s issue and Europe needs to get rid of unwanted items after they are used and thrown away by the consumer. That’s causing a substantial amount of funds and affecting the environment after the clothing is sent outside Europe. I have recently watched an educational documentary Brandy Melville & the Cult of Fast Fashion, that shows how the countries where second-hand clothing is sent being affected. In the documentary, the country Ghana receives tons of second-hand clothing that contains fast fashion brands such as Shein, Prettylitlething, and more. The country cannot refuse to accept them because of political enforcement that they are threatened by Europe. Sadly, Ghana accepting clothing and can feel the negative impact already. For example, second-hand clothing that is washed away to the sea appears in the drinking water that contains chemicals from fabrics. The local people do not understand why tons of clothes are being thrown away in the first place.
So, the French as seriously intend to enforce a law where companies such as Shein get penalties for textile wastage that Europe needs to deal with. I think other countries should follow the French and help to stop fast fashion imports to Europe. Educating your people should be the number one priority as most people act selfishly. I was selfish too, and did not think about where the clothes I bought came from and where they were going after I threw them away.
What We Can Do
Essentially, more than ever consumers are more conscious when it comes to fashion, thanks to documentaries, charity shops, and marketplaces where people can sell & buy sustainable preloved clothing online. One of the platforms that allows customers to sell & buy sustainable items that have been worn is everused.co.uk. The platform is user-friendly, and up-to-date, and offers various options for clothing & accessories. Conversely, the main target market is sustainable fashion that has been used. Everused offers clothing & accessories for women, men, and kids as well as some sustainable items such as kitchenware or houseware. I have sold and bought items from the platform and cannot recommend it more. Enough. The seller was quick to respond, sent the parcel quickly, and left a great review. Plus, I know that I am doing good not only for me but also for the planet.
Beautiful young woman selling online clothing. https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/beautiful-young-woman-selling-online-clothing-gm1462281117-495844960?searchscope=image%2CfilmWhile still browsing at the clothing stores I have noticed a change in clothing labeling at some of them. Fashion brands are starting to label their products with information about traceability, ethicality, and product textiles. Choosing second-hand clothing can be one of the obvious ways to reduce wastage. Some big brands such as H&M understand that consumers are shifting to a more sustainable way of shopping and now offer discounts for customers if they bring unwanted items for a safer and more environmentally friendly disposal. Yet continues to produce clothing on a massive scale that does not help. To see a positive impact the customer should buy less clothing, search for ethical brands, and go for sustainable pieces that last longer. Zara has not been thinking of slowing the production either.
Furthermore, according to the 2023 Ethical Markets report was a 49% rise last year in the amount spent on secondhand clothes. Also, if we take another report such as GlobalData’s figures, the clothes resale market in the UK grew by 149% between 2016 and 2022. They forecast that it would grow by a further 68% between 2022 to 2026. Mainly, the boom in preloved clothes has largely been driven by Generation Z. Popular marketplaces such as Preloved, Vinted, and Depop are thriving with young vendors wanting to make cash from their cheap preloved clothing & accessories.
Let’s not forget eBay which is one of the many places where you can buy and sell second-hand items. In 2022, it was reported that eBay saw a 24% increase in circular fashion businesses joining their site, and searches for pre-loved clothing on eBay UK skyrocketed by 1,600% during that period. That shows rising interest in preloved items and more vulnerable consumers who are looking for a cheaper alternative. Important to mention, that this year eBay waived the seller fee which may help to compete with other marketplaces that do not charge sellers when the item is sold.
Besides, working with charity shops also an 11% rise in sales in the three months to the end of September 2022, with Oxfam’s sales up 40% in the run-up to Christmas 2022.
In the last few years, companies including ASOS, Boohoo, H&M, PrettyLittleThing, Primark, Shein, and Zara have launched their own resale marketplaces and secondhand schemes. PrettyLittleThing’s platform, reGAIN, is described as “the app that allows you to turn your unwanted clothes into discounts to get cash off your next PrettyLittleThing purchase”. This acts as an incentive to buy more clothes, rather than slow down consumption, and signals to consumers that they shouldn’t feel bad because there’s an app where you can sell it and it’s all secondhand and ethical don’t-you-know.
https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/beautiful-young-woman-selling-online-clothing-gm1462281117-495844960?searchscope=image%2CfilmSustainable Brands Are In Demand
It’s great to buy and sell second-hand items as it keeps the longevity of clothing for a longer period. However, fast fashion products are of such a cheap quality that most cases, after clothing is bought they do not last for longer until thrown away by the second owner.
The fast fashion giant companies reduce the quality to the minimum to sell fast, and cheaply and move on to another product model and season. One of the reasons is the demand for new fashion, new models, and the addition of consuming and owning new products. Also, making a profit as quickly as possible and producing more cheap clothing according to the latest trends dictated by celebrities. According to a viral tweet, “Most Gen Z consumers don’t even know what quality fashion looks & feels like.” And while that may be a massive generalization, it’s inarguably true that clothing quality has dropped precipitously over the past 30 years. A pair of jeans purchased at the Gap in 1993 was made of thick 100 percent cotton and constructed to withstand years of heavy wear. Now, the same pair of jeans costs $17 after multiple discounts, has added elastane, and is liable to fall apart after several washes. Clothing is the single category that has declined in price since 2005 despite egregious inflation elsewhere. But ironically, as good-quality clothing becomes hard and harder to find, it’s becoming increasingly important to a growing cohort of consumers.
men’s classic trousers on a shelf in a boutiquehttps://www.istockphoto.com/photo/mens-classic-trousers-on-a-shelf-in-a-boutique-gm2136651295-568303227?searchscope=image%2CfilmQuality is the most underrated, least-talked-about aspect of sustainable fashion. Some people, can not know the difference between cheap clothing and sustainable clothing because we are not educated anywhere. I did not know either until I started to do my research about learning about sustainable fashion and where to find it. Sadly, not many people are doing the same. The good news is that TikTok and Instagram are full of sharers who distribute useful content to viewers who do not have time or willingness to do research themselves.
I learned that our relationship with fashion has become so surface-level, and I think people are just sick of it. I always tell people you should choose your clothes like you choose your food. If the food looks good it does not necessarily mean that it is healthy and you should look for ingredients, origins, and price. As far as I am aware, customers need to pay way more for chemically untreated, organic, and ethically sourced food. It is the same with clothing and everything else in this world! It is sad news, but that’s how we should look at everything we consume. So, when shopping in person, you should turn clothing inside out to look for loose threads, ensure buttons are securely attached, and read the labels to understand the composition of materials. For online shopping, to zoom in on the pictures of the garment to make sure everything looks right.
This renewed desire for quality comes from a frustration with the options available, but also out of necessity. Thanks to the cost-of-living crisis, people can no longer afford to shop with abandon like they once did. When the cost of a carton of eggs has risen by 70 percent in a single year, a $100 monthly Shein haul becomes, for many households, out of the question.
Sustainable Brands In The UK
Companies and consumers play crucial roles in driving sustainable fashion. Many companies are already adopting sustainable practices by sourcing organic or recycled materials, implementing ethical production, and investing in renewable energy to meet the growing transparency demanded by consumers. I have searched for sustainable brands available in the UK and listed some of my favorites so far that I buy and resell on everused when do not need them anymore.
https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/mother-of-pearl-fashion-designer-amy-powney-is-a-star-on-the-rise-a3345276.html- Community Clothing. Made Sustainably & Ethically — Great Clothes, At Great Prices, Supporting Local Communities. That’s Our Promise. Everyday Clothing Made In The Very Best British Factories Using Natural Materials.
Frankly, I am glad many companies establish fair trade, equal rights, and sustainable outsourcing while manufacturing clothing. We only need to speed up and shift even more the mindset of consumers. We no longer need a cheap top that costs £5, but we need a sustainable produced, sourced, and manufactured top for £15. I recognize, that some may ask, why would I pay £15 when I can pay £5 for a similar-looking item and throw it away? That’s where we need to educate each other, support communities with knowledge and understanding why we should invest in longer, sustainable clothing than consuming cheap garnets for a positive impact to our planet.
- Baukjen. Designed for Good. Environmentally and socially conscious style for a more sustainable future.
- Community Clothing. Made Sustainably & Ethically — Great Clothes, At Great Prices, Supporting Local Communities. That’s Our Promise. Everyday Clothing Made In The Very Best British Factories Using Natural Materials.
Frankly, I am glad many companies establish fair trade, equal rights, and sustainable outsourcing while manufacturing clothing. We only need to speed up and shift even more the mindset of consumers. We no longer need a cheap top that costs £5, but we need a sustainable produced, sourced, and manufactured top for £15. I recognize, that some may ask, why would I pay £15 when I can pay £5 for a similar-looking item and throw it away? That’s where we need to educate each other, support communities with knowledge and understanding why we should invest in longer, sustainable clothing than consuming cheap garnets for a positive impact to our planet.
