Second-Hand Resale Matters
Second-hand resale matters more than we know because there are ramifications for consumption. Why second-hand resale matters is that it decreases the amount of new consumption we undertake. Did you know that “when you choose secondhand, you’re avoiding the destructive extraction and production of raw materials that would have gone into making a new product”? (The Center for Biodiversity). That may sound a little harsh, but it does make a compelling argument to try harder to buy second-hand first, and then buy new.
As I am as guilty as most, my decade history of reselling second-hand makes me feel like I have had both contribution to the environment, but also to my clients whose alternatives were not as good for them as me reselling their downsizing items. Otherwise, I would feel like I have not been doing my part cause in the past, I just donated.
The Growing World of Resale Shows Second-Hand Resale Matters
But back to the environment, the good news is that the reselling market has grown significantly over the last few years, so there are a lot more options for accessing second-hand items. As avenues grow for reselling, that means people have more options for selling and buying goods both. Thredup says in its 2025 resale report that second-hand apparel alone will reach 367 billion dollars by 2029.
And the options to shop second-hand from home are becoming more widespread, with sites like Poshmark, Mercari, Depop, and more making huge strides in the marketplace to be the “go to” for second hand. Ebay is still a thriving marketplace for second-hand goods.
Why Second-Hand Resale Matters; A Caution in Buying Too Much
We are a culture of buying big and buying much. A 2022 Unicef report says that between 3.3-5 earths (depending on the country) will be needed in the future to keep up with current consumption levels if everyone in the world consumed like developed countries.
Even buying too much second hand that is not needed can contribute to overconsumption by some, leading to less for the needy who have no other option but to shop second hand. The key word in all this is OVER -overconsumption. Buying what you need and some of what you want is not overconsumption.
But it is something to work on. When I would get clients’ clothes as part of an estate I was selling, the thing that surprised me the most was how many clothes still had tags on them. I know, as a Psychology Practitioner, that there are people who have a psychological compulsion towards buying and shopping. I can understand it from that standpoint, but practically I have no clothes with tags, because I wear them. Although I have been known to leave a tag on so I could resell the item if it wasn’t a good fit. But then, I look at everything and assess resale value in my head. The point is if you buy it, use it, or overconsumption is at play.
Conscious Donating is Important
I don’t know about you, but when I first started donating, I threw everything I could in a box for donation. Let the donation center decide the item’s fate, I thought. Now, I think harder that if I choose to not post a product for resale, would it be a good reusable item that a donation center could sell?
Cheaper products that end up in donation centers could end up harming the next consumer. We talk about the importance of frequency of clothing and how certain fabrics are better for our health and well-being. We need to really donate usable goods that can make a difference in the next person’s life.
Another thought-provoking argument for over-donating by The Center for Biodiversity is that “some donation centers even ship excess products overseas, competing with local businesses in emerging markets”. All of our actions have consequences. It is probably best to start by making very deliberate purchases the first-time around so we can be deliberate in our donating too.
We have more on this, be sure to see the Main Page of Information on “Second-Hand Resale” Here.