It was clear to everyone that the previous model of consumption, product lifetime, and disposal of things was not sustainable in the long term, but nothing really had happened for everyone to stop and change their habits of ‘take-make-dispose’ model. Nowadays, a fashion product’s life-cycle is shorter than it used to be, often because of decreased quality or constant need for wardrobe renewal. Recent research shows that an estimated lifetime of a garment is 2.2 years or less or even only a couple of uses, while earlier studies from Scandinavia refer to 7–8 years.
Consumers' shopping motivations changed in 2020, driving new demand for thrift. After the pandemic, consumers have less disposable income and more uncertainty about their financial future, they are more conscious of what they buy, therefore, similarly to the financial crisis of 2008, consumers start treating luxury items as investment pieces. The trend of supporting local businesses, that manufacture sustainably and responsibly is rising, as well as demand for second-hand shopping has skyrocketed. Thrifters are motivated by sustainability, but it’s the unique experience of thrifting they crave the most.
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation,2020, ThredUp,2021
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