The second hand is trendy: Gen Z likes it and also convinces the brands

Second hand clothes open the doors to a new market: in 2023 our wardrobe will be more vintage.

The new direction of the fashion system, which is attentive to sustainable production and which tries to make "recycling" a trend to wear and enhance, is undoubtedly an accomplice of the slow growth of the second hand market, to which Gen Z with its curious and nostalgic for the past has undoubtedly contributed, also influencing millennials. On the other hand, the explosion of the Y2K trend that has become a big hit since this spring is just the natural observation: just think of the joy of millennials to find a fashionable wardrobe that is already beautiful and made to wear, if not the possibility of reselling unique and unobtainable pieces. because exclusively born and purchased in that period.

Initially the passion for vintage markets and the hunt for clothing from limited collections launched in the past or second-hand items, which were once said not to be worn anymore, seemed to be an underground prerogative shared by admirers of the past, but today music is changed: the second hand seems to be the fastest growing market in 2023 that will nourish our wardrobes.

Second hand: used and second hand clothes, a growing value and heritage

A few numbers to understand the phenomenon we are witnessing is important. Compared to 2020, in fact, the second hand market has tripled its value according to what reported by Boston Consulting Group and Vestiaire Collective , a leading platform in second-hand fashion resale, growing between 100 and 120 billion. Although this market share is still growing, it is estimated that in 2023 27% of our wardrobes will be made up of used clothing.

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Who are the biggest consumers who are driving this trend? Gen Z leads with 31% propensity to buy and 44% to sell, followed by millennials, young people of different age groups who are undoubtedly changing their buying habits, aimed at greater awareness of the impact that fashion and clothes have on the environment.

The second hand in fact manages to combine two needs: that of feeling trendy and personalizing one's clothing by polluting as little as possible. Furthermore, since fashion is cyclical, reselling a garment is also an opportunity to buy back another garment or accessory you want with the money from the sale. This is why the big brands, but soon it should also touch fast fashion to dwell on the issue, are seriously deciding to welcome and make this market. Gucci and Balenciaga are the most obvious examples.

Hunt for the unique piece, a varied catalog and decluttering: this is why second-hand items are popular

However, there is not only a sensitive attention to the environment. The second hand is also popular because it offers a catalog of accessories and clothing that is constantly growing , also stimulating a certain pleasure in researching and winning that limited piece before others. A kind of vanity in making your style even more personal.

Added to this is the need not only to renovate but also to empty the wardrobes for reasons of space, a reason that drives as many as 60% of those who sell used items, but also to use the money from the sale to buy second-hand items, first hand or other, motivation that pushes the same target in an estimate ranging from 20 to 39%. In short, next year's motto will be Clothes in a circle .

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