As circularity becomes more mainstream by the day in the global textiles-apparel-fashion industry, the second-hand clothing sector too has been growing proportionately, if not at a faster pace. Even a cursory glance will show that investments into ventures that promote and sell second-hand garments have been rising, and brands by the dozen have been hopping on to the bandwagon.
There is enough literature and scientific evidence to bolster the argument that the practice of using second-hand apparel has its sustainability benefits. But the way the sector is developing has gone unquestioned and unchallenged. In fact, to do so is now deemed sacrilege.
A recent study from the Net-Zero Climate Innovation Assessment Initiative (NCI) has thrown up questions on the way the second-hand argument is being used and promoted. There are problems galore, and the report was published under the title Second-Hand is [Currently] Bad for Global Sustainability. It has had a mixed response, with many willing to listen to a fresh perspective, and a host of others dissing the study and openly threatening to keep it out of the mainstream discourse.
The takeaway from the study is laid bare in the opening remarks: “The title ‘Second-hand is bad for sustainability’ is obviously an oversimplification, hence the ‘currently’ added to the title. Second-hand can be part of the transition to a more sustainable society, but not in the way that is now being used and promoted. To ensure global sustainability, in line with agreed climate and environmental goals, we need to look at, and challenge, existing business models, overproduction/ overconsumption, the way we shop, what kind of garments and things we truly need, and what lifestyles and societies we want in the future.”
A reflection of this contention can be seen in the way second-hand is promoted as a business opportunity (to make more money) rather than a lifestyle shift (to cut down on consumption and therefore resources too). It does not have to be either/or; there is nothing wrong if someone makes money by saving the planet. But now, it seems more about that big pot of gold.
And how big might that pot be? Market intelligence firm GlobalData estimated the apparel resale market at $193.7 billion in 2023. It was expected to roughly triple in size by 2027. That's an awful lot of money, and a big market segment that has been created out of thin air.
The NCI report, authored by Dennis Pamlin, does not explore second-hand as a market segment, but it does point out the reasons why we have one: "Many companies are using second-hand and recycling as a way to deflect from their fundamentally unsustainable business models.
Overproducing/overconsumption is the main problem together with promoting, glorifying and encouraging unsustainable lifestyles with large wardrobes and a lot of stuff. Stuff that we feel we need, but it is mostly an artificial need, where large marketing budgets are spent to create that need.”
Harbour no doubt: fashion companies have hijacked the second-hand ethos. The idea always was to keep clothes in circulation for longer (as against hastening their unceremonious way to a landfill or incineration) and also to give the less privileged a chance to own garments, albeit pre-loved.
The report emphasises as much: “It should be noted that part of the second-hand market provides important contributions to organisations working in areas such as poverty reduction. Any company that rethinks their current strategies, or individuals who rethink their current consumption patterns are strongly encouraged to keep on supporting these groups. Both long-term, so they can become part of a sustainable system, and in the short-term by providing resources so the valuable contributions these organisations provide are not reduced on the path to a more environmentally and globally fair society.”
It is important to choose garments that last, and it is also about lifestyles that a garment itself supports. The report reasons: “Second-hand cannot be assumed to be the most sustainable or least expensive option as the focus should not be on single garments, but the whole wardrobe and the lifestyles it enables and supports. How long a garment lasts, how it can be combined with other garments, and what lifestyles the garments support are questions that are more important than the question of whether the garment is second-hand or not.”
The study suggests a five-step strategy and assessment framework for companies that have or could have second-hand as part of their business model.
