This year we launched traidTOGETHER — our NEW collective mission to reshape second-hand fashion, grow our impact, and fund more life changing projects – with the people who make it possible: you. 

Big change starts with small actions, so our first step was to hear from you. We teamed up with global data & business intelligence platform, Statista, to find out more about the UK’s consumer habits to enable future change. The results are in, take a look at our key findings! 

The Power of Good 

The UK cares about how and where they shop, with empathy and understanding being key emotions driving consumer choices. Today, 95% of customers who worry about issues in the fashion industry say this influences their purchase decisions, with poor working conditions of garment workers topping their concern list at 64%.  

Of people who shop in charity shops, 36% state ‘supporting charity causes’ as their reason to buy, more than because it’s sustainable. The message is clear, many consumers want to be part of the solution, backing change that supports people, communities, and a fairer fashion system.  

Charity Retail – The continued growth of the pioneering forerunner

A whopping 71% of us now wear second-hand clothing! This is a 6% increase from Traid’s Public Perceptions Survey in 2020 in partnership with YouGov stating 65% of us now wear something second-hand.

The ever-growing mainstream appeal of second-hand shopping is backed by the charity retail sector, which has played a crucial role in making second-hand shopping both acceptable and desirable, paving the way for private sector resale platforms without losing its own relevance. In fact, 54% of second-hand shoppers shop from charity shops, just 1% less than the 55% who shop through online resale platforms.

Gen Z and Millennials lead the way as ‘second-hand enthusiasts’

Over 80% of people aged 18-34 years old show a strong affinity for wearing second-hand clothing, with a third of this age group purchasing second-hand clothing at least once a month. In Greater London, 79% of people aged 18-34 are particularly focused and concerned about sustainability within the fashion industry, compared to their peers in the rest of the UK (53%).

Of those who have tried to convince family and/or friends to shop second-hand, 50% were successful, with 18-34 yr olds proving most successful at convincing others at 58%. 

Style vs Sustainability 

The most important reason for buying second-hand clothing, which was agreed upon across all age groups who shared their voice, is affordability at 63%. There is a higher agreement amongst people aged 18–34 (57%) compared to older individuals about the importance of sustainability when purchasing clothes. This reflects a stronger awareness of sustainability among the younger generation. Of those who have tried to convince family and/ or friends to shop second-hand, 50% were successful, with 18-34 yr olds proving most successful at convincing others at 58%.

For more information and the full survey results, see our press release here.