THE CAUSE IN THE RISE OF

The Cause of the rise in pre-loved clothing.

The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world, responsible for 8-10% of global carbon emissions (Ro, 2020). Fast Fashion involves companies such as Boohoo, Zara and H&M as being amongst those producing mass amounts of cheap clothing. They are able to make huge profits by satisfying the needs of younger consumers, such as generation Z who will buy into trends. These brands copy high end luxury designer’s latest catwalk styles but design, produce and sell them in stores, in mass quantities in as little as two weeks, making these trends more accessible for the average person. (Maiiti, 2022) This has created a disposable view on fashion, fuelling a throw away culture influenced by consumerism. “When we throw things away, we waste all the carbon, water, materials and labour that have gone into making them.” – (Marcus Gover). We are facing the problem of producing more clothing than we need. Roughly we are consuming 80 billion new items of clothing every year and only wearing them as little as 7 times before throwing them away. With only 1% of garments actually being recycled due to the long and complicated recycling process. With trends coming in and out of fashion at rapid rates, consumers are no longer purchasing clothing to last but rather being influenced to view garments as easily replaceable. This is so fast fashion brands can continue to release new items weekly, unlike higher end designers releasing new collections seasonally (Cheng,2021). According to a new report from eBay Ads UK, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis has been causing significant shifts in consumer behaviour, leading to purchasing secondhand goods and other circular shopping practices. eBay have said, UK consumers are turning to secondhand shopping and upcycling as a response to the region's rising cost of living, which has seen fuel, food, and energy bills rise. According to the marketplace analysis, which polled 1,000 UK respondents, 30% of consumers are having to make more deliberate decisions to obtain better value for their money, and a fifth are purchasing more second-hand goods to save money. 19% of respondents said it was important to them to shop as sustainably as possible, and 22% said they were mindful of throwing away or sending products to a landfill that could be fixed or sold on. Sustainability also played a significant role in the responses. 19% of people added that they were attempting to steer clear of fast fashion companies or those that they thought were unethical. “Between the rising cost-of-living and a growing desire to make more sustainable purchases, UK consumers are increasingly thinking about how they can be savvy with their shopping,” said eBay. (Douglass, 2022)

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FIG 12: Ecoalf fall/ winter 19 (2019)

FIG 11: Photography by Craig McDean for Vogue.

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Utilizing secondhand clothing, reduces C02 emissions as well as energy and water usage. Additionally, from the perspective of consumers, secondhand items are frequently a terrific way to express individual style and promote a more sustainable lifestyle in general. Consumers are switching to secondhand shopping as a result of growing ecological consciousness and rising living expenses (the rise of second-hand fashion,2022). According to the BBC, extending a garment's lifespan by almost 9 months will diminish its environmental impact compared to purchasing new by 20% to 30%. The whole secondhand market is expected to reach US$80 billion by 2029, approximately double the size of the US$43 billion fast fashion industry, according to analysts. This is due to the fact consumers are more aware that purchasing secondhand goods contributes to extending product lifespans, reducing unsustainable new manufacturing, and preventing waste from going to landfill (Ho,2022). Even if Preloved clothes sales have significantly increased and continue to increase, fast fashion is still expected to continue, which presents a huge potential for the sector to adapt and change. A truly sustainable fashion industry requires the development of a closed-loop, circular economy, and the resale of preloved clothing will be essential to this. Brands must react to this appropriately. For instance, circularity must now be included into the design of clothing from the outset in order to account for resale and repair. This includes avoiding fast fashion trends in favour of longer-lasting, higher-quality designs, and selecting materials that will survive through several wears and owners (the rise of second-hand fashion,2022).