Shoppers are increasingly opting for secondhand clothes

Think back to last year. Did you buy any secondhand clothes?

If so, you are part of the nearly 60% of consumers who did, a group that the online secondhand clothing company ThredUp said is growing fast. In a new report this month, the company claimed that these secondhand sales are actually outpacing the rest of retail.

Secondhand shopping is even impacting the luxury market, said Pierre Dupreelle, managing director and partner in Boston Consulting Group’s Luxury & Fashion Practice.

“It was a side conversation five years ago,” he said.

But now, he said, luxury shoppers are perusing the secondhand market at increasing rates. Affordability is one reason. Another is sustainability. Plus, Dupreelle said, it can be fun.

“I think the thrill of the hunt is a big driver,” he said.

And in the resale market, customers aren’t just buying stuff. They’re also selling it.

Dupreelle said people who accumulated a lot of things, especially during the COVID years, could be ready for what he calls a “wardrobe detox.”

“So I think the detox is a big piece of the reason to sell,” he said. “The second one is… you know, because they just also want to be able to buy more secondhand.”

Much of the projected growth in secondhand shopping will be driven by younger consumers, said Neil Saunders, a retail analyst at GlobalData, which has been studying the resale market with ThredUp.

“They're very, very keen on the resale market, and as they mature into higher spending consumers, the evidence suggests that they're going to keep spending on resale for a fairly large proportion of their apparel needs,” he said.

Brands are getting in on it, too. Saunders pointed to Lululemon and Levi’s, which also offer resale options to their customers.

“It doesn't take away necessarily from the existing business,” he said. “It just may attract some new customers, some different customers, some different types of spending that they weren't getting access to before.”

Pricing secondhand items as they come in and out can be especially tricky for companies that do this, said Sucharita Kodali, principal analyst at Forrester.

“It's a balance between what's the right number that makes it attractive for people to give their good merchandise, but at the same time that you're not going to lose money on that merchandise,” she said.

Kodali said people making subjective calls could find that challenging. But technology could help companies at least break even, if not be profitable.

Correction (April 7, 2026): The original story mis-stated Pierre Dupreelle’s current title at Boston Consulting Group.