21/05/2024
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The secondhand fashion trend is becoming an indispensable part of the fashion industry today. Known by many different names such as "recycled fashion", "reusable fashion" or "vintage fashion", this trend has many conflicting opinions when it is said that secondhand fashion is not really that green. To better understand this issue, let's find out with DSA whether this is really a green trend or just "old wine in new bottles".
Why is secondhand fashion becoming a trend?
Minimizing environmental impact
According to Metagent, secondhand fashion include used fashion products, from clothing to accessories such as shoes, handbags, or jewelry that are resold after having been used by the previous owner.
In today’s fashion era, the trend towards sustainability is changing the way people consume and approach fashion, which has fueled the rapid growth of the second-hand (or vintage) clothing market. Sharing the message of smart shopping and reducing waste can spread and create a community of consumers who are more conscious of their impact on the environment. Therefore, trading and reusing old clothes has become a solution that is highly appreciated by young people and has grown strongly in recent years.
By reusing existing items, consumers can save money while also helping to extend the life of a product and reducing environmental impact (Source: iHeart)
Personalization and customized style
Secondhand fashion often includes unique and non-repetitive items, from past decades to current collections. This allows the wearer to express their own style in a more unique and personal way, compared to buying items from new collections from large fashion stores. Therefore, hunting for decade-old fashion accessories has become a hobby and attracts the interest of young people.
A pair of vintage Jean Paul Gaultier pants launched in 1997 but still looks new after 26 years. (Source: Forum of the Vietnam Youth Union)
Affordable
Customers can bargain by hunting for secondhand clothes. (Photo source: suno.vn)
Branded items, whether worn once or twice or displayed in a clearance store, are often sold at extremely attractive prices, creating a great opportunity for buyers. In addition, the price of secondhand products is usually only from a few dozen to one or two hundred thousand VND, extremely suitable for the budget of young people, especially students, who want to have a diverse wardrobe without having to spend too much money.
Secondhand Fashion and the Story of "Old wine in new bottles"
While it has the benefits of protecting the environment and reducing waste, the term “Second-hand” also leads to choices that are not always sustainable, such as
Unnecessary consumption
Some secondhand fashion shoppers may be lured by the low prices of items they don’t need or really use. This often happens when the prices of secondhand items are much lower than the prices of similar new items. The lure of low prices can lead to unnecessary purchases and even impulse buying. Therefore, it’s better to buy a used item and wear it 1,000 times in a variety of ways than to buy it because it’s a bargain and then leave it in the corner of your closet.
Hygiene and health safety
According to Cleanipedia, second-hand clothing can pose many health risks if not handled and cleaned properly. Because before reaching consumers, these products are packaged in and transported through many different environmental conditions. Due to the long transportation process, many types of bacteria can grow and develop. If not washed thoroughly, they can cause skin infections or other diseases. Lice, bedbugs or fleas can hide in second-hand clothing.
Using secondhand items has benefits such as reducing environmental impact, saving costs, and having the opportunity to express personal style in a unique way. However, this fashion trend can also have an implicitly negative impact on the environment if we do not understand and shop properly. Secondhand fashion - Green fashion or old wine in new bottles depends on our own shopping and usage attitudes and behaviors. DSA hopes that this article will help you better understand the aspects of fashion trends, thereby making appropriate shopping decisions.
News and photos: Department of Student Affairs (DSA)
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