In recent years, the second-hand clothing market has been booming, and its success seems to be increasingly significant. Whether online on dedicated platforms such as Vinted or Videdressing, or in thrift stores and kilo shops, the enthusiasm of the French for second-hand items is very real.
A Market with Multiple Interests
If second-hand clothes have so much success, it is because they offer many advantages: very low prices, more ethical practices, a vintage appeal, and the possibility of discovering “rare gems.”
Figures That Do Not Lie
The IFM (French Fashion Institute) revealed in a study that in 2019, 39% of French people had bought at least one second-hand garment, compared to 30% the previous year and only 15% in 2009. The second-hand market represented 1 billion euros in 2018.
Among the main reasons justifying this type of consumption are price — cited by 75% of enthusiasts — as well as ethical and ecological concerns — mentioned by 45% of them.
A Snub to Fast Fashion
A few days ago, the Quotidien program revealed that in Europe, a garment is worn on average seven times before being discarded. Thus, the second-hand clothing market emerges as the primary challenger to fast fashion.
Given the growing interest in second-hand items, it seems that the French cannot resist seizing the opportunity.
