The BBC reports that, based on the findings by secondhand fashion retailer ThredUp, a whopping 67% of British millennials shop secondhand, while nearly half of Generation Z’s clothes are pre-owned. It’s estimated that the total value of the fashion resale market is likely to double by 2027 to a jaw-dropping $3.5 billion.

However, this is still just a drop in the ocean compared to the size and breadth of the apparel market worldwide. According to Statista, the revenue in the global apparel market is estimated to reach $1.84 trillion. The largest segment of this market is women’s apparel, predicted to be around $0.96 trillion this year.

There are some serious issues with the industry, though. For one, the BBC notes that US companies like ThredUp and TheRealReal aren’t profitable, while Lithuanian peer-to-peer fashion resale startup Vinted, which is popular in the UK, also posted a large pre-tax loss in 2022. British brand Depop also lost tens of millions in 2023.

“The problem is one of economics. With the rise of ultra-fast, ultra-cheap fashion brands, the volume of clothing produced and shipped globally continues to explode, and consumers are offloading more of it after just a few wears,” the BBC explains, noting how one 2023 study found that a large Swedish charity has to pay to have around 70% of donated clothes incinerated due to their low-quality.

Around 40% of the clothes that are exported to Ghana, which is one of the largest recipients of secondhand fashion from Europe, is considered to be waste.

"There's an oversupply of clothes. And it's lowering the perceived value, and the real value, of everything,” said Liz Ricketts, co-founder and executive director of the non-profit The Or Foundation.

"We treat waste as if it is a free resource. Sure, you might give it away for free, but it takes a tremendous amount of effort and labor and skill to try to re-commodify that thing that you gave away. Reuse is based on the quality and the condition of the individual item, which means that it requires a human touch and a human eye to assess that."

Buying things secondhand, rather than getting everything brand new, has its fair share of pros and cons. On the one hand, secondhand shopping can be a wonderful way to save money, reduce humankind’s impact on the environment, and reuse things that are still functional but may require a bit of sprucing up. It’s also fun!

On the other hand, shopping secondhand means that you may not always find what you need and you might have doubts about the quality of certain items. You also need to consider how much time and effort you’re willing to spend hunting down a specific piece of clothing, decor, or furniture. There’s a big element of luck at play here.

If you have plenty of time to spare, like to take things slowly, and genuinely enjoy browsing the inventory at different stores, then secondhand shopping is perfect for you.

However, there are bound to be time-sensitive purchases that you’ll have to make. Sometimes, you don’t have the luxury of not getting something due to bad luck when you absolutely need it. In those cases, online shopping or heading to a store that you know for a fact sells the product you need might be best. However, that approach is sometimes hard to balance with a desire to be eco-friendly.

Buying furniture, clothes, tech, or random knick-knacks secondhand means that you’re extending their lifecycle. When you don’t buy new things, that means that the demand for that product falls, which should—at least theoretically—reduce the amount that's produced and then transported worldwide.

If everyone around the world suddenly decided to buy at least some things secondhand, hold on to their tech for longer, or repair what they already have, that would have a massive impact on global production and trade. Companies would pivot to match these new, more eco-friendly, and pro-DIY trends.

Some items are always best bought new, even if you care about the environment. For example, MarketWatch warns people not to buy baby cribs, car seats, or helmets secondhand. To put it simply, you don’t know the history of these items and you generally can’t verify whether they’ve been in accidents before they were given away or sold. There might be undetectable damage. It’s better to err on the side of caution here.

Other things that you should not buy secondhand include makeup, which can be contaminated with microorganisms that can then lead to serious infections. You also want to steer clear of mattresses because they may be infested with bedbugs that can spread to other parts of your home.

Used smartphones are also iffy if you’re buying them from a random place. For one, you don’t know if the phone has been stolen. Meanwhile, it’s also possible that there can be malicious software left on the device, whether purposefully or by accident. Generally, it’s best to buy new tech if you’re using it for private communications and photos. Alternatively, if you’re getting a secondhand phone, at least buy it from a reputable, official dealer.

MarketWatch also warns people not to buy secondhand knives, blenders, toy chests without safety hinges, recalled toys, or anything that may have lead paint. They're potentially dangerous. And the few bucks that you save are not worth putting you and your loved ones’ health and safety at risk.

The Facebook page was first created in the middle of the summer of 2023. Over the past year and a half, Weird and Wonderful Secondhand Finds has amassed 86k followers and 7.6k likes.

The curator constantly shares new updates and photos of interesting finds in the page’s feed, and people love it. Many of the items are very creative and in terms of imaginative design, they stand head and shoulders above anything you’d find at a ‘regular’ store.

Which of these secondhand finds did you love the most, dear Pandas? Which ones would you be happy to bring home with you? What are the coolest and weirdest things you’ve recently spotted at your local thrift stores, charity shops, and garage sales?

What’s the most bizarre thing you’ve ever given away at a secondhand shop? Let us know!