Purchasing secondhand, or used apparel, is the most eco-friendly and ethical option when it comes to fashion.

Secondhand apparel is clothes that have been previously owned and typically unwanted. Instead of throwing the clothes away, they are either sold or given away for someone else to use.

Fast fashion apparel, on the other hand, is new clothes that have been made in a rapid manner to meet consumer demand and follow trends and fads in the industry that are available for a low consumer cost. This is only possible because of an even lower labor cost. 

The fast fashion industry feeds a growing craze evident in “fashion hauls,” where people on social media platforms including YouTube and TikTok showoff clothing they bought online for low prices from companies that utilize cheap labor, like Shein and Romwe.

When the pandemic forced many thrift stores to close for a time, it created a huge surge in online thrifting.

Online thrifting allows clothing to be sold through an electronic platform like a website or an app, usually from independent sellers.

Online secondhand stores such as ThredUP, Depop, Mercari and Poshmark have seen a growth in remote thrifting, according to GlobalData, a third-party retail analytics firm used by ThreadUP in its 2020 resale report.

The restrictions caused by the pandemic created a rise in unemployment rates, meaning people have a smaller budget to buy clothes. People also do not want to risk exposure to the coronavirus by going shopping.

Consumers have been more confident in admitting they buy used clothing in recent years, according to the GlobalData Consumer Survey for ThredUP. 

Buyers equate shopping secondhand to rescuing a puppy and enjoy the “high” they receive from saving the planet. 

But despite the rise in purchasing used clothing, fast fashion still threatens the planet.

The amount of textiles in landfills has steadily grown and trendy fast fashion apparel is a large part of that, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Although fast fashion has been around for decades, the market for it hasn’t halted. While 40% of Generation Z’s closet is partially secondhand, only 20% of the baby boomer generation shop secondhand. This makes Boomers rely on fast fashion, according to the same GlobalData Consumer and ThredUp survey.

The reliance results in landfills overflowing with clothes made from synthetic materials including polyester, spandex and nylon. Materials like these won’t break down for at least another 20 years, according to Close the Loop, an online platform that encourages sustainable fashion.

Clothing production also harms our population.

The accessibility and affordability of these clothes are directly connected to workers creating them in sweatshops.

Several popular companies including Zara, Nike and Target use sweatshops to manufacture its products in hazardous conditions, with unknown wages, and even some with child labor, according to a study by SOMO, Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations.

Clothing manufacturers are paid anywhere from around $20-$60 per month in their country’s currency, despite work weeks being around 48 hours, according to SOMO. 

SOMO also revealed that these workers are being exposed to high humidity, unhealthy substances and deal with dangerous equipment, according to the same study.

No amount of pay is worth risking workers’ safety, making low wages more despicable.

Since these factories are not allowed in the U.S., American companies continue to seek international manufacturers to produce their items. 

It can be hard to find companies that make quality clothing ethically, so the safest bet is to buy clothes secondhand to avoid directly contributing to unscrupulous practices.

On the other hand, factors such as scarcity in sizing and varying prices do not make secondhand shopping the most accessible option.

Plus-size clothing is limited in clothing stores and even more so in secondhand stores.

In thrift stores, including Goodwill and the Salvation Army, prices are expected to be more affordable since these clothes are donated in bulk. But when clothes are handpicked specifically to be resold, such as in curated secondhand shops like Plato’s Closet or online through popular selling platforms like Depop, prices can be drastically raised. 

High-priced items steer people away from shopping in-person and online.

Despite this, the overwhelming truth is that without the existence of these stores, secondhand clothes would simply be waiting for its spot in a landfill.

As an avid shopper in local secondhand stores and a mid-size person, the overwhelming thoughts of consumerism is slightly muted knowing that I participate in keeping clothes out of landfills.

While sometimes it may be difficult to find things in my size, it’s worth a trip to my local thrift store or a search of online thrift sellers to make a more conscious decision to spend my dollars in an ethical manner that helps the planet.