Vintage and secondhand Apps and platforms: the rebirth of Fashion also goes through Resale

The secondhand market in Fashion will double in the next 5 years: the flourishing of platforms dedicated to the buying and selling of used clothing items is a clear signal of this growing trend.

Depop, Vinted, Like New… the rise of Apps and website for reselling used clothing seems to be, for a few months now, unstoppable. Beyond the unbelievable successful cases of several former startups, at the basis of this phenomenon there are well-consolidated trends and expectations.

Secondhand: a market destined to double

“We are in the early phases of a radical transformation in Retail. Consumers consider sustainability to be an increasingly significant priority, Retailers are starting to embrace Resale and political actors are moving closer to circular economy”, states James Reinhart, Founder & CEO of thredUP. The latest annual report of his company specifically shows an extremely important growth in the secondhand market.

According to the study, this market will double in the next 5 years, going from the current value of 36 billion dollars to 77 in 2025. The reasons for this impetuous advancement are to be searched out in the best looked-after assortments, in the greater ease of selling clothes online and in the great availability of clothing items that can be resold. It is estimated, in fact, that each year in the United States 36 billion clothing items are thrown away, 95% of which could be resold or reused.

The Resale industry between ethical reasoning and new habits

With 92 billion tons of textile scraps produced each year on a global level, Fashion must necessarily focus on recycling. This both for ethical reasons and because once again the pandemic has changed the rules of the game. Consumers today, in fact, are not only looking at budget-friendly options because of the context dictated by COVID-19, but they also thinking about how to spend their money more responsibly.

Brands have therefore already started launching their own Resale platforms. An example? Like New by Lululemon, Canadian activewear giant. The program calls for customers to give the company clothing that is almost new or moderately used, receiving a gift card in exchange. A specific facility sees to checking the items and cleaning them, then uploading them to the platform to be sold.

Depop – the global market of vintage

The affirmation of this new trend is also measured in the resounding business success. The impressive case of most recent weeks is represented by Depop, the startup created in Italy to buy and sell handcrafted and vintage items, recently purchased by the American marketplace, Etsy, for the exorbitant amount of 1.6 billion dollars.

After the initial phases, in which it presented itself as a social network, the App developed as a global market for buying, selling, and getting inspiration from new trends. An e-commerce where the important points are democratic costs and a strong interest from Gen Z with users including designers, creatives, and vintage lovers, as well as influencers and models.

Vinted – the queen App for buying and selling used clothing

Another prime example of overwhelming success if that of Vinted, the largest C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer) platform in Europe in the secondhand sector. Founded in Lithuania in 2008 as a simple site for emptying your closet, during recent years it has become an extremely popular App for buying and selling used clothing between private users. Its availability in 12 different markets and 34 million users are its indisputable calling card.

As we, here at Bizeta, have been observing for some time now, sustainability is basically a leading trend in Fashion & Luxury. This, too, means being constantly up to date on the latest developments, to provide our Customers with always better solutions.