SECONDHAND ITEMS have long been treated as simply cheap and old products that people buy to save money. Currently, however, selling and buying secondhand items is a trending practice in the fashion industry, especially among people born between 1996 and 2010, also known as Generation Z[1]. This trend is not only bound to consumption. Rather, the trend is initiating further changes in the fashion industry, such as the appearance of several online platforms that are actively expanding the secondhand market. 

The sudden trend of secondhand fashion

   According to the Oxford Dictionary, the adjective “secondhand” means “not new; owned by somebody else before[2].” As the meaning implies, secondhand items have long been perceived as old and worn products that people buy simply to save their budget. Based on these characteristics, electronic products, such as smartphones and laptops, were previously the main commodity traded in the secondhand market. On the contrary, the fashion industry has always been dominated by fast, ever-changing trends. Trending styles change with each new season and people are busy filling their wardrobes as a result. Although fashion items have previously been traded in the secondhand market, the main reasons for these transactions were usually not to acquire stylish fashion items or keep up with trends, but to save money. As such, a secondhand fashion industry once seemed unattainable and unlikely to gain attention from customers on a broad scale.

   In contrast to the future expected of used fashion items, this sector of the secondhand industry has been gaining sudden and rapid attention. Surprisingly, it is Generation Z who is leading this trend. According to the Resale Report 2023 written by ThredUp, an online consignment and thrift store, the global secondhand apparel market grew from $138 billion to $211 billion between 2021 and 2023[3]. Additionally, 83% of Generation Z shoppers in the United States were open to purchasing secondhand fashion items[3]. This makes Generation Z consumers the main contributors to the fast growth of the secondhand market in the United States[3]. The sudden expansion of the secondhand fashion market has also resulted in another impressive phenomenon: the creation and development of platforms supporting the secondhand trend online.

The rise of secondhand fashion platforms

   The prevailing growth of the secondhand fashion market among Generation Z consumers is exemplified by the appearance and development of online secondhand apparel platforms. One of the most popular online platforms is Depop, where users can buy and sell used fashion items. Vogue Business, a global digital fashion, luxury, and beauty publication, reports that over 90% of Depop’s active users are under the age of 25[4]. Depop’s impact goals include “circularity,” “net zero emission reductions,” “sustainability operations,” “employee diversity, equity and inclusion,” and “marketplace diversity equity and inclusion[5].” In other words, considerations regarding social and environmental conditions form the basis of Depop’s services. As a result, by providing an online platform where users can easily circulate clothes, 9 out of 10 purchases made on Depop create no additional production of new clothing items[5]. With approximately 20 million users, Depop is continuing its effort to create an open, diverse, and eco-friendly secondhand fashion platform focusing on important values[5].

   Aside from Depop, KREAM is an example of an online platform that dominates the secondhand fashion market in South Korea. Launched in 2020, KREAM first started as a platform for trading secondhand sneakers targeting the Millennial Z (MZ) Generation in Korea, focusing on limited edition collections of famous sneaker brands. KREAM provides reliable information about the sneakers resale market and a thorough checking system to support its users[6]. Nowadays, KREAM has expanded its business to include other items, such as clothing, accessories, and even electronics. The appearance and continuous growth of both Depop and KREAM prove that Generation Z are the main actors who not only trade secondhand fashion items, but also actively participate in the market by expressing their demands. This unusual participation dynamic showcases what characteristics differentiate Generation Z from any other consumer demographic.

Generation Z focuses on uniqueness and sustainability

   McKinsey & Co., a global management consulting company, explains that Generation Z is diverse, native to the digital world, inclusive as a consumer, and socially progressive in recognizing the global scale crisis of humanity[1]. These characteristics can be applied to understanding why Generation Z loves secondhand items. Perhaps the most plausible and notable reasons, based on generational characteristics, would be the generation’s craving for uniqueness and sustainability.

   Diversity is a keyword within Generation Z, and this diversity is often determined based on inclusiveness. Rather than conforming to a single way of life, Generation Z strives to differentiate themselves from others and express their uniqueness to the world. This desire for uniqueness is a big factor driving Generation Z to search for unique and rare fashion items, instead of identical, mass-produced products. According to a report by Depop and global management consulting firm Bain & Co., Depop users picked “Tap into trends (newness),” “One of a kind thing (newness),” and “Cool thing to do (entertainment)” as the major reasons for buying secondhand items[7]. Such results imply that buying vintage secondhand fashion items functions as a form of self-expression unique to Generation Z. 

   The other reason for Generation Z’s attention to the secondhand market is sustainability. As mentioned above, Generation Z is aware of transnational crises such as climate change. Considering that secondhand markets do not generate additional wastage or damage to the environment, especially in contrast to the fast fashion industry, it is understandable why Generation Z decides to engage in such an eco-friendly practice. The impact goals presented by Depop, including circularity and net zero emissions[5], as well as user reports that the environmental sustainability of a fashion company affects their purchasing decisions[7], show that sustainability is an important factor to Generation Z in motivating them to trade secondhand items[7].

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   Driven by a desire for uniqueness and a concern for sustainability, Generation Z is making secondhand items trendy in the fashion industry. By actively participating in trading secondhand goods, promoting digital platforms, and expressing strong demands to the industry, the generation refuses to remain a mere consumer. Generation Z’s rediscovery of the charms of old-fashioned items can be viewed as a new social movement, incorporating various spheres of society with endless possibilities.

[1] McKinsey & Co. 

[2] Oxford Dictionary

[3] ThreadUp 

[4] Vogue Business

[5]  Depop

[6] KREAM corp.

[7] Depop and Bain & Co.