From Necessity to Conscious Choice: Second-Hand Clothing and the Environmental Impact of the Fashion Industry

This paper takes a closer look at how our clothing choices impact the planet—and how a growing number of people are rethinking those choices. Once seen primarily as a last resort for those with limited means, second-hand clothing is now gaining recognition as a smart, sustainable, and even stylish option. As one of the most resource-hungry industries, fashion is responsible for around 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of wastewater—figures that call for urgent change. By analyzing existing research and data, this study explores how the reuse of clothing fits into the circular economy and contributes to a lower-impact fashion system. It finds that while much of Europe’s used clothing is exported to Africa and Asia—where it is reused, downcycled, or discarded—attitudes at home are shifting. Younger generations, in particular, are embracing second-hand not just out of necessity, but as a conscious choice that aligns affordability with environmental responsibility.