only 10% to 12% of clothes have the right to a second life in Europe. It’s a bit of a shame when we know that around 4 million tonnes of textiles are thrown away each year on our continent. However, there is no shortage of advantages of second hand. Why buy second-hand? Here are the five strong points of buying the second hand. 5,4,3,2,1, 0 dive into the heart of sustainable fashion.
Advantage 1: it’s cheaper
First of all, you should know that buying second-hand is often cheaper than new clothing. And for good reason, the garment has already been worn. But that doesn’t mean it’s damaged. This is evidenced by thrift stores, wardrobe clearances and online clothing resale platforms. Many pieces are sold as new after being worn once or twice. You can therefore obtain an impeccable designer dress at discounted prices. Interesting, what do you say?
Advantage 2: it’s more ecological
First of all, you should know that buying second-hand is often cheaper than new clothing. And for good reason, the garment has already been worn. But that doesn’t mean it’s damaged. This is evidenced by thrift stores, wardrobe clearances and online clothing resale platforms. Many pieces are sold as new after being worn once or twice. You can therefore obtain an impeccable designer dress at discounted prices. Interesting, what do you say?
Advantage 3: it’s more ethical
We know that the fashion industry and particularly fast fashion have a catastrophic human and social toll. There are 60 million textile workers in the world “for whom the days last on average 12 hours and earn 1 euro cent per piece.”
Added to this is the problem of child labor. In Bangladesh, 15% of children between 6 and 14 years old in the slums of the capital of Dhaka work 64 hours a week in the textile industry.”
For ethical reasons, it is better to favor second hand and, if possible, clothing made in France or Europe.
Advantage 4: often unique pieces
Another advantage, second hand allows access to unique pieces. By browsing in thrift stores or on online resale sites, you can come across gems that you wouldn’t have access to in the big-box stores. You can come across inexpensive high fashion clothing or high quality, timeless pieces.
No more standardized ready-to-wear that looks like a uniform! This is an opportunity to adopt your own unique style. And to go even further, you can practice upcycling. Using scraps of fabric, original buttons or embroidery, you can recycle and improve the style of purchased clothing. Let your creativity run wild!
Advantage 5: minimized packaging
Finally, the second hand can also rhyme with “zero-waste.” Instead of ordering dozens of items on cheap fashion sites and piling up packing boxes at home, second-hand purchases force us to take the time.
We look, we wander, we search, we try in order to find THE piece that will please us and make us stand out. This is an opportunity to discover small businesses and boost the local economic fabric.
