So, is sustainability simply a side effect of the shift to thrift, or one of the driving forces behind it? According to Forbes, it’s the younger generations really powering the demand for a lower impact approach to apparel. Gen-Z consumers are turning to resale for an ethical and greener shopping experience, with 37% of Gen-Z shopping second hand compared to 27% of Millennials and 19% of Baby Boomers.
“Shoppers are more conscientious than ever right now and will often spend more on a product that is better made,” argues Davis. “Only high-quality products can be bought, sold, and re-bought again, over and over. Very few Chanel handbags ever make it into a landfill! And if one did, it would likely have seen decades of use and significant wear by multiple owners.”
The younger generations are working wonders in driving change by putting their money where their mouth is, shopping preloved items and sustainably sourced fashion whilst encouraging others to do so too. With resale disrupting the retail business and taking off, in the coming years we should see the reduction of consumption and carbon footprint, and the regeneration of raw materials – lengthening the life span of clothes, bags and jewellery, lessening the need to buy and encouraging the practice of reusing and or reselling what we or others have.
It’s safe to say that resale is a large contributor in gaining back the sustainable trust that has been lost within fashion industry. And as the popularity of brands like FashionPhile, Vestiaire Collective, Rebag and Stock X is projected to increase, and this new consumer interest set to stick around too, it looks like resale really is the future. Perhaps something good has come out of the pandemic after all.