In order to provide an accurate overview of a sector undergoing rapid change, Refashion conducted a study in 2024 on the state of the second-hand clothing, household linen and footwear (CHF) market in France in 2023, surveying both industry players and consumers.
The results highlight the gradual and sustainable growth of the second-hand market, which is gradually establishing itself as a major economic and environmental lever for the future of fashion.
The second-hand market accounted for 7.1% of total consumption volumes in 2023.
The data from the study confirms that second-hand goods are becoming a permanent part of the textile consumption landscape in France. In 2023, 63.5 kt of CHF were sold second-hand, representing 7.1% of total CHF consumption volumes. Another indicator of changing consumer habits is the rate of substitution for new goods, which reaches 31% among buyers of second-hand products.
Towards greater appreciation of second-hand goods
Despite promising momentum, several obstacles continue to slow down the development of the second-hand market:
-
Insufficient volumes collected and donated, preventing scaling up
-
Deterioration in the perceived quality of the supply and competition between second-hand goods and entry-level goods
-
Insufficient sorting capacity and quality
-
Second-hand sales standards still significantly underdeveloped
The study calls for a real paradigm shift: it is no longer simply a question of selling second-hand goods, but of building a desirable, structured and massive offering.
This implies:
-
Efficient sorting that identifies, classifies, isolates and directs items according to their market value
-
A segmented and valued offering that embraces a commercial business model
-
A customer experience that is as high-quality as that of new goods
