Liv Pearson, the founder of The2ndlook, a second-hand clothing store, says that she was exposed to the positives of second-hand thanks to her family, who comes from a tailoring background. 

“After a career in luxury retail architecture design, I became concerned with the high consumption narrative being promoted and it definitely prompted a pivot in how I wanted to contribute to sustainability in my career. My creativity from design definitely helps me with the sourcing and presentation of pieces. It gives me a personal and unique edge to my business,” Liv shares.

She agrees that patience is definitely required with second-hand shopping. “If you hold out for long enough, the right piece comes along for you,” she says.

Even though thrifting can be a more sustainable and cheaper option than buying new, people should still be cautious of what they’re buying so they don’t contribute to unnecessary consumption. Liv recommends looking at the garment’s fabric composition and interior to gauge if it’s worth investing in. 

“Choosing pieces that have a higher natural fiber content, e.g., wool, linen, cotton, etc., and checking if their interiors have been thoughtfully resolved with either linings or appropriate stitching—these tend to be good green flags to look out for.”

One of Liv’s top tips for bringing back older items to their former glory is investing in a good-quality steamer. “I recommend looking into a professional model, as they last for several years and can easily be repaired with Rex placement parts. They very quickly brighten up items. They’re a great tool for also using on soft home furnishings.”

At this point, it’s undeniable that second-hand shopping has gained massive attraction and Britons seem to have the biggest share in it. A whopping 61% of citizens in the UK have bought an item from a thrift store in the past year.

In 2023, the average Brit’s wardrobe was made up of 23% pre-loved clothes. The figure increased to 34% among those aged 18 and 34. Last year, they generally bought three secondhand clothing pieces, with young adults purchasing 5.3 and older people 1.7 items. 

The most purchased types of clothing were shirts (57%), jackets (39%), and pants (37%). If you wonder what pieces are worth buying, those who scored a good bargain mostly bought accessories (29%) and shoes (26%). 

Parents too willingly purchase second-hand items for their children. Around 59% of them have bought at least one garment for their kids in the last year. 

Even though online shopping prevails when people purchase new items, offline shopping still remains a favorable way for people to shop second-hand. 43% of people who browse for pre-loved things prefer to do so in-store and 39% online. 

The primary reason why people (36%) opt to buy secondhand is cost-effectiveness. 16% choose to thrift because they worry about the climate and want to counteract fast fashion. Meanwhile, 9% preferred the quality and style of pre-loved clothes, and 8% believed that it was “cool.” Thanks to all the environmentally cautious people, the secondhand industry has grown to $376.48 billion in 2023.