A small repetition of what most people today know:
The textile industry has become increasingly visible and questioned considering all its drawbacks.
Swedes buy an average of 13.5 clothes and textiles per person yearly [1]. The textile industry affects our planet in many ways, from the overuse of groundwater to the spreading of chemicals and microplastics.
All this information can be heavy to take in, especially if you are a person who likes clothes and fashion. But there are ways to shop “new” without contributing to the negative environmental impact, and it is, of course, to buy used ones!
SECOND HAND ON THE RISE!
Does second-hand always have to mean a poorly fitted polyester jacket with shoulder pads? Or a bulky old sweater from H&M? No, buying used clothes and other textiles can be a real treasure hunt! In addition to being kinder to the environment, a big plus in purchasing used clothes is that you get a unique wardrobe.

Second-hand has not always been so popular, but the attitude towards second-hand shopping has changed a lot in recent years. In a consumer survey from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency 2020, 7 out of 10 answered that they would consider buying more second-hand, an increase of 29% from the year before [2]. It has also been noticed globally, according to a report from 2019, consumption of second-hand clothes has risen 21 times faster than in conventional stores in the last three years [3]. Cheers to us!
Thus, there is a change in attitude towards clothing consumption. The difference is partly due to an increased awareness of environmental problems and consumer responsibility. In addition, it’s the result of the digital movement. Today, we do more online shopping, which has also boosted the second-hand market [3].
NO TIME TO GO TO THRIFT STORES ?
Have you ever needed to buy a pair of new pants having in mind exactly what colour and model you want? It has then felt easier to go into a well-stocked clothing store, where the pants hang on the left and the sweaters on the right. Going into a thrift store to find a specific product can take time and effort. You may find a pair of pants in the right colour after a while of searching, but they then turn out to be the wrong size. A tip then is to check out the various online services for second-hand. There are often search functions that help you find the perfect style, size and colour you are looking for.

HERE IS A GUIDE TO SOME SWEDISH ONLINE STORES THAT SELL USED:
Tradera – Sweden’s largest online marketplace with over 2 million users. Thousands of ads are posted here by individuals and companies daily. There is everything from clothes and electronics to stamps. On Tradera, you can fill in what you want: size, colour, price, brands, condition, etc. Most ads are bidding, but there are also fixed-price items.
Myrorna – One company that sells goods on Tradera is a second-hand Swedish classic, Myrorna. They have physical stores around Sweden, but you can also buy from their webshop on Myrorna’s website and Tradera.
Blocket – Sweden’s largest online shopping site, with 5 million weekly visitors. Here the seller put out the items online with a fixed price. If you do not feel like or don’t have time for bidding, this is a good alternative!
Sellpy – A second-hand site selling items directly from private individuals, but unlike Tradera, Sellpy handles all sales for you. You order a Sellpy bag, they ship it to you, and then you fill it with what you want to sell. Then you can choose between asking for pick-up at home or handing it to a representative. Sellpy then places the goods on its bidding page. Sellpy makes a profit by taking a percentage of the sales of each item.
Tip: if you do not want to bid, you can click on “fixed price” when you search the page to see the goods sold without bidding. Sellpys goods can be found on their own website, on Tradera, and at the H & M-owned outlet store Afound
For the brand enthusiast, there are many luxurious variants of second-hand online stores today, such as Usedby , The Vintage Boutique
, Affordable Luxury
. They sell used clothes and accessories from high-end brands.
These online stores make it easier to buy used, which means it is also easier to sell used clothes. However, this has led to many new and unused items being sold in second-hand shops online today. Why and how does this happen? One explanation is the growing e-commerce, which has made it easier for us to consume new products. We can click home a garment without any immediate thought, and if they do not fit, we send it back – or resell it. Like this, the sustainability aspect of second-hand trade becomes misleading, as unused newly produced clothes are sold as “used”.

Are you still a person who likes to go to stores and be able to feel the material and try on the clothes before you buy them? Then, in addition to local second-hand and charity shops, many second-hand chains have shops nationwide.
Is there one in your city? The ants , Beyond Retro
, Humana
, Erikshjälpen
, Emmaus
Sources
1. Naturvardsverket – Information on sustainable consumption of textiles
2. Europa. eu – Environmental impact of the textile and clothing industry
3. Reuters – ThredUp