We all know that thrifting is good for the planet. But are you buying ethical secondhand fashion? Do you even know what that is? We explain….
By Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi
Once, it was considered kind of strange. Disgusting, even. I remember people saying things like: ‘How do you know you’re not wearing a dead person’s clothing?” Or: “I thought only poor people would wear that.” But now, thanks to economic and environmental reasons, secondhand fashion is a definite ‘thing’.
In fact, a new UK study claimed that more than half of the consumers in the key 25-34 age group are buying secondhand fashion these days. But that’s not the only good news! The study also says that over 50% of those surveyed have repaired their damaged or worn-out clothes. And a whopping 75% of 16-24 year-old Britons say they have swapped fashion items with others or would be interested in doing so in the future.
There’s a clear trend being seen that’s moving away from brand-new fashion. But whether that’s for ecological or purely money-saving reasons, we don’t know.
Consumer Confusion
But there is a problem. When trying to apply ethical principles to their general fashion purchases, a high number of UK consumers said they found it difficult to know which secondhand fashion retailers were the most ‘ethical’.
And it makes sense. With hundreds of online secondhand clothing stores popping up each month, how do you know which one is selling ethical secondhand fashion?
For example, we need to ask:
- Are they sourcing their clothing ethically, and paying their suppliers the fairest rates for secondhand clothes?
- Can you be sure the shop is actually selling secondhand clothing, and not, say, fast fashion bought in bulk at sales and pulled off as being ‘thrifted’?
- If you’re buying designer clothing, can you be sure it’s authentic?
Selling, Swishing and Renting
One of the easiest ways of knowing whether a secondhand clothing retailer is ethical is by selling your own clothes to them! And many do. According to the same study above, 50% of those aged 16-24 have turned their unwanted fashion into cash by selling unwanted clothes. The number doing this for the wider age range is around 35%.
When you sell your clothes to a secondhand dealer, you’ll know their vetting process, how much they pay sellers, and what their process is for verifying the authenticity of designer goods.
Too much of a hassle? ‘Swishing’, the act of swapping clothes with friends or acquaintances, is also becoming on-trend, particularly among younger people. And then there’s another way of wearing garments that doesn’t involve buying them new: clothing rental. This, unsurprisingly, is also more popular with Gen Z more than other demographics.
But note this: while this can be one way of reducing the amount of clothing we all have in our closets, you should be aware that clothing rental carries a higher CO2 footprint than buying secondhand, because the clothes are driven to and from your house, and then to and from the dry-cleaners in between rentals.
Secondhand vs Vintage
So, now we know that we can give clothing new life by swapping and selling. But…what’s the difference between secondhand and vintage clothing?
It’s generally accepted that ‘vintage’ clothing is classified as a garment that’s 20 years or older. If an item is over 50 years old, it’s actually called ‘antique’. So, sorry – anyone that calls a used crop top from H&M’s 2022 fall season ‘vintage’ is wrong. It’s just plain old second hand fashion. Just so ya know!
When Thrifting Gets Pricey
Buying ethical secondhand fashion should be a great way to save money. But today, some thrifted garments can actually be pretty expensive! That’s because some entrepreneurial people are finding a business model that works. They source cheap clothes in thrift stores and later up-sell them at a much higher price. They do so using polished visuals, semi-professional models and clever copywriting techniques. Thanks, #girlboss!
Of course, this is nothing new. But the practice is becoming more widespread thanks to social media and platforms such as Depop. The situation is making thrifted clothing so expensive in some cases that those who are a bit on the broke side are turning to the ‘conscious collections’ of fast fashion stores instead.
In fact, Dazed recently published an article in which Depop users confessed they were almost “encouraged” to ditch thrifting and shop from fast fashion stores instead, since prices of secondhand clothing were becoming so high.
According to Slow Fashion Weekly, as a rule of thumb, fast or regular fashion items from Boohoo to Urban Outfitters should have a price tag around $15-20 (or below) in the resale market if they were mass produced using cheap, synthetic material such as polyester, acrylic or elastane. Their price should be reflective of their quality.
So, What Is Ethical Secondhand Fashion?
Here are a few things to consider when looking for in an ethical secondhand fashion shop:
- Designer pieces need to be guaranteed authentic. What kind of guarantee does the shop offer that they are?
- Prices paid to providers of clothes should be at least 50% or more of the sale value
- Prices demanded for thrifted clothing should reflect their quality and materials
- The state of the item should be pristine, and any flaws should be accounted for in the price
- What happens to their unsold clothing? It should be donated to charities, sold off at discounts, or returned to the original owners rather than dumped in developing countries.
- Is the retailer calling stuff ‘vintage’ when it’s just plain old secondhand? Vintage can usually fetch a higher price. But don’t be fooled! If it’s not 20+ years old, it’s just used clothing.
Check out the shop’s About section, or send them an email directly to know the answers to these questions.
If you can’t find the time to do so, here are a few ethical secondhand fashion shops we’ve investigated ourselves!
5 Trusted Ethical Secondhand Fashion Shops
1. Noir Vintage Shop
This is a vintage fashion platform that focuses on style, luxury and sustainability. Noir’s intention is to focus on slow, secondhand fashion that’s made to last. Here, you’ll find sassy, unique and whimsical pieces that range from clothing to jewellery accessories. You can travel back to another era, from the Swinging Sixties to the Greedy Eighties, while being completely in synch with the style of the 21st century.
Pieces are unique, few, and come from all over the world and possess a timeless quality.
Ethical secondhand fashion because The shop puts sustainability at the forefront along with social responsibility. They say: “NOIR. is a vintage fashion collection that focuses on style, luxury and sustainability. With sustainability and social responsibility at the forefront, NOIR. makes conscious shopping effortless.”
2. Tommie Magazine Shop
Tommie Magazine is an articulate online space that glorifies the concept of secondhand fashion. This happens not only through an online shop, but also through articles that focus on ethical and sustainable fashion. Tommie Gatherings are also on offer for those who love thrifting. These are a series of workshops that encourage people to meet in real life to re-connect, educate, and discuss the virtues of secondhand fashion.
In the Tommie Shop, you’ll find exquisite pieces of top-notch brands that have a whimsical flair of past decades, such as a 70s Missoni, a 60s Jantzen or an 80s Versace.
Ethical secondhand fashion because The Tommie community is designed to share information that ensures the ethics of secondhand fashion and thrifting.
3. Vinted
Want to clean out your wardrobe? Vinted in the best ethical secondhand fashion platform for you! They charge ZERO selling fees – that’s right, nothing! Which means everything you make on the unwanted garments you’re selling is just for you! You’ll be paid as soon as the buyer confirms that everything is OK. Easy peasy!
Ethical secondhand fashion because: The site doesn’t charge you for selling your stuff with them. Which means you can keep prices low, while keeping fashion circular.
5. Farfetch
This incredible online designer vintage destination is a treasure trove for almost 3000 top-notch deluxe labels, and naturally these are all second hand items that are sold in perfect condition. The most wondrous trait about shopping on Farfetched is that it ships to 190 countries! Whoa, right? They also offer everything from luxury clothes to jewellery, as well as shoes and accessories. You may find some exquisite, rare pieces by the likes of Chanel and Gucci here.
Ethical secondhand fashion because: Their employee code of conduct is aligns with the Modern Slavery Act of 2015. What this means is that the company actively fights human rights abuses in fashion production. In addition, they guarantee the authenticity of their designer pieces.
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All images courtesy the websites.
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