Sustainable fashion: Secondhand chic

10% of global emissions are from the fashion industry. Sustainable fashion is making important contributions to reduce its impact.

Headshot of David Tinsley

David Tinsley

Headshot of Vanessa Cook

Vanessa Cook

June 2023

Key takeaways

  • The fashion industry contributes 10% of global emissions and a fifth of plastic waste. Increasingly, consumers are looking for ways to make sustainable choices to lessen the environmental impact of their buying decisions.
  • But inflation remains a headwind for many consumers, and the price premium they are prepared to pay for new, sustainable fashion is limited. Even among Millennials and Gen Z, only 4% of survey respondents were prepared to pay a 20% premium.
  • The good news is that a significant reduction in the environmental footprint of clothing can be made by extending its lifespan. And the secondhand market for fashion in the U.S. is growing rapidly, increasing by 24% year-over-year (YoY) in 2022.

Read our full analysis for a more in-depth look at these trends.