U.S. apparel and footwear resale market - statistics & facts
In a world of fast fashion and outsourced clothing manufacture, one way to peacefully combat the environmental impact and labor controversies that go hand-in-hand with the modern apparel industry is to opt for second-hand clothing and footwear. Not only is secondhand less expensive than brand new clothing and shoes, but it is also a great way to prevent waste. Clothing styles have a tendency to come back in vogue after many years, and vintage clothing often has more character than brand new clothing. For people who want to set themselves apart from current fashion trends, secondhand clothing provides the means to do so. The global secondhand apparel market was estimated to be worth 227 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. By 2027, this was forecast to rise to nearly 370 billion dollars. As home to the largest clothing market in the world, the United States is also the leading exporter of used clothing.
