How the second-hand market changed the fashion game

The fashion industry has changed a lot over the decades, from the booming days of department stores to the more recent shift towards online shopping and fast fashion.

But on the Raspberry Beret rack in Cambridge, shoppers browse through a sea of ​​colorful sweaters for the perfect savings. It can be a long process.

“I’d say that 99% of my wardrobe is probably secondhand,” says Maria Mendoza, who has worked as a sales associate at Raspberry Beret for about four years. “There’s more gift, I think, behind every piece you find. It feels more intentional and like you’re giving something a chance in life, and more of your character and personality shows through that.”

He added, in recent years, thrifting has become a hobby favored by all circles.

“I think it used to be like an older person,” Mendoza said. “Recently, we’ve seen more college students coming in. Even high school students are starting to come in. I think the internet has a lot to do with that too.”

Rachel Armany / GBH News

A 2022 study by the Boston Consulting Group found that the used clothing market already accounts for 3% to 5% of the overall apparel sector, with more people citing sustainability as a factor in what they choose to buy. And even though thrift has a smaller carbon footprint than fast mode, it can still be detrimental to the environment.

“The life of our clothes needs to be extended,” says Jasmina Burek, an assistant professor at UMass Lowell who studies sustainability. “All manufacturers need to be clear about expiration dates. If you throw away this garment [away] after one year, this is the impact you made. … If this polyester T-shirt lasts five years, that’s great. But in the end, if it ends up in a landfill and biodegrades there for hundreds of years, it’s not a good system that we have.”

Burek says one of the big issues at play is not just where people shop, but how our clothes are made.

“So we have Good Intentions that accepts all of them, and among all of these, there are a lot of textiles. And a lot of textiles can’t be used anymore because people throw away clothes that are stained or clothes that are worn or tight, have tears,” Burek said. “And half of that, that’s trash, and then it ends up in the landfill again.”

A The 2021 Report of the World Economic Forum found that fashion is the third biggest polluter on the planet, after the food and construction industries. One option for consumers hoping to find an alternative to buying new products is a clothing exchange like the one Jessica Fixsen, sustainability manager at Harvard Business School, organizes every year. Employees can trade donated items instead of buying new ones.

“Then the reuse center is right next to it too,” said Fixsen. “This is an opportunity for an item to find a new home there. … and anything that’s clean and not moldy, stuff like that goes down to textile recycling.”

Rachel Armany / GBH News

Sifting through the pile of donations at Fixsen’s newest clothing exchange is 22-year-old Lydia Begag, a research associate at Harvard Business School and an avid saver.

“I think it’s just paying attention to how much you spend on clothes in any given season,” says Begag. “I felt like there was a huge trend shift. I became more aware of buying essentials than, you know, just trying to buy the coolest thing I see on Instagram or TikTok, and trying to be more sustainable in that way.”

Harvard Business School dress exchange is just one of several in the Boston area which reduces clothing waste. This practice is growing in popularity among organizations, specialized communities, and within groups of friends.

“I think sometimes when people think about sustainability, they equate the word with sacrifice,” says Fixsen. “But activities like clothing swaps are a way to remind people that sustainability is about solutions.”

As sustainability becomes an increasingly important factor in the apparel industry, increased savings and trade-offs are a promising start to reducing our carbon footprint. The hope for advocates going forward is that fashion manufacturers will follow their lead, and create more eco-friendly options for people to buy.