Written by: Jenn Szekely, President
Pre-loved fashion is having its moment, and for good reason. In the past year, 42% of U.S. shoppers have purchased secondhand items at a lower cost, with the added benefit of ensuring clothing gets a new lease of life and avoids landfills. With the sector valued at $43.9 billion in 2024, brands in this space are flourishing. Ebay was the pioneer in the category, but we’ve seen new pre-loved brands emerge over the past decade, such as Mercari, Poshmark and Vinted.
The move from buying new items to the growing popularity of secondhand clothing has presented a number of interesting branding lessons. The brands in this sector have transformed how the industry is seen. What were previously unwanted and undesirable items dumped at a thrift store have become valued as pre-loved items, full of potential for their next owner.
Their growing popularity has seen the big retailers getting in on the act. Zara’s “Pre-Owned” platform enables shoppers to sell, repair or donate pre-owned clothing, Net-a-Porter allows consumers to buy and resell secondhand designer items, and Patagonia’s “Worn Wear” program even allows shoppers to trade-in pre-loved products to buy new items.
It is still early days for the pre-loved fashion industry – competition is increasing but there is plenty of space for others to break through.
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