Scenario: Fashion's Second-Hand News

Fashion’s Second-Hand News • Mid-future optimistic scenario

Fashion’s Second-Hand News

Driven by early 21st century concerns of environmental waste and climate change, multinational apparel brands explored sustainable alternatives— and found them by tapping an existing network of thrift stores.

Goodwill and the Salvation Army became inspired by popular resellers like Grailed, The RealReal, and Depop, and began recruiting teams of “pickers” to sift through donations for gems—quality denim, vintage finds, or brand names. They set them aside for bigger sales. Soon, large apparel brands turned to these charitable organizations and consignment stores to be suppliers of pre-owned garments and upcyclable materials and support new sustainable business models.

Today, the primary and resale clothing markets have merged into a circular “throughsale” market, and repurposed garments and materials drive the majority of apparel sales—even at big brands. Second-hand shops generate steady revenue, apparel makers maintain healthy margins while reinventing themselves, and the fashion industry’s former reputation as a major polluter is now considered, well, vintage.