[Youth Report] Save Money, Protect the Environment, and Express Individuality... The Boom of 'Used Clothing'

MZ Generation Prioritizing Value Consumption
Used Clothing Also Becomes a Means of Expressing Individuality

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Recently, secondhand trading has become popular, especially among young people. They pick clothes that suit them like treasure hunting at warehouse-style thrift stores, showing that they do not hesitate to purchase secondhand items as long as they match their taste. This phenomenon appears to have emerged as a result of the spread of eco-friendly value consumption trends, as well as the ability to purchase unique items at affordable prices.

Active Secondhand Trading Amid High Inflation... Especially Popular Among the MZ Generation

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According to the 'Future Secondhand Fashion Trend Analysis Report' recently released by the secondhand trading platform Bungaejangter, about 78% of users in the secondhand fashion sector are from the MZ generation. Customers aged 26-35 accounted for 33% of the total, those 25 and under made up 29%, with over half of the customers being under 35. Following them were those aged 44 and above at 22%, and those aged 36-43 at 16%.

Why is secondhand trading particularly active among the MZ generation? This is related to the younger generation's characteristic of valuing experiences over ownership. For example, when purchasing secondhand luxury goods, the significance lies not in the fact that the product is secondhand but in the meaning of using luxury items themselves.

Therefore, young people are not only more accustomed to secondhand trading compared to other generations but also have less aversion to secondhand products. Especially in the current situation of sustained high inflation, secondhand goods have emerged as a good alternative to save even a single penny.

Kang, a 29-year-old office worker who used a secondhand trading platform last month, said, "I recently had LASIK surgery, so I no longer needed my glasses. I bought them at a high price, but it felt wasteful to just throw them away, so I sold the frames through 'Danggeun Market.' It’s a win-win situation, protecting the environment and earning some pocket money."

The Appeal of Secondhand Clothing? Affordable Prices and Eco-Friendliness

[Image source=Pixabay]

The most popular items among secondhand goods are secondhand clothes. In the past, many people avoided secondhand clothing because it directly touches the body, but as secondhand trading platforms like Junggonara and Danggeun Market have become commonplace, aversion to secondhand clothing has significantly decreased.

The ability to purchase vintage clothing with uncommon designs at affordable prices is also an attractive factor. Compared to mass-produced ready-made products, secondhand clothing is less likely to have the same design easily found, which appeals to the MZ generation that pursues individuality.

Also, the MZ generation’s emphasis on value consumption has influenced this trend. Young people do not hesitate to pay for things they consider valuable. A representative example is eco-friendly consumption. Wearing secondhand clothes is seen as environmentally positive because it helps reuse discarded clothing.

In fact, the fashion industry has a considerable impact on the environment. According to the 'Eco-friendly and Recycled Fiber Fashion Industry Development Strategy' report published by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade in November 2021, the textile fashion industry accounts for 6-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, 20-35% of marine microplastic emissions, and 10-25% of pesticide use, generating large amounts of environmental pollutants.

Moreover, the amount of water used in the fashion industry accounts for about 20% of the total industrial water use. For example, producing one cotton shirt requires about 2,700 liters of water, which is equivalent to the amount a person drinks over 2.5 years. Furthermore, pesticides used to cultivate cotton, the main material of cotton shirts, account for 24% of global pesticide use and 11% of global insecticide use, seriously affecting soil and water pollution.

With growing interest in sustainability, the secondhand clothing market size is expected to grow further. The Boston Consulting Group predicted that the global secondhand clothing market would grow from $40 billion (approximately 52.22 trillion KRW) in 2021 to $77 billion (approximately 100.52 trillion KRW) by 2025.

Professor Eunhee Lee of Inha University’s Department of Consumer Studies analyzed, "For the MZ generation, secondhand trading is one of the savvy ways to live in an era of high inflation," adding, "They try to engage in sustainable and economical transactions even if only a little through secondhand trading."