Environmental sustainability of vintage fashion

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Vintage clothing, or "Vintage", is a colloquial term commonly used to refer to all old styles of clothing. A widely accepted industry standard of a "vintage" item is being made between 20 and 100 years ago and clearly reflect the styles and trends of the era they represent.^[1] In recent years, the popularity of vintage clothing has grown, as consumers seek unique and sustainable fashion alternatives.^[2]

The rise in popularity of vintage fashion has been viewed as a reaction to the negative implications associated with fast fashion. Fast fashion refers to inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends. It involves a business model where companies create and sell their products through vertically integrated production methods, allowing for a quick response to consumer demand.^[3][4] However, consumers tend to dispose of fast fashion products quickly, leading to environmental concerns such as excessive water use, greenhouse gas emissions, microplastic pollution in the ocean, etc.^[5][6] The fast fashion industry has an estimated worth of around $91 billion in 2021^[7] and produces approximately 1 billion garments yearly. Despite its profitability, this industry relies on rapid production to capitalize on new trends and has a significant environmental impact.^[8] The fast fashion industry emits approximately 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually, which accounts for 5% of all global emissions.^[8]

Vintage clothing offers a solution to the issues posed by fast fashion, allowing individuals to express their style while also preventing clothing waste.^[9] Recently, the trend towards vintage clothing has grown, with more consumers adopting new attitudes toward second-hand products, reflecting a growing interest in sustainability.^[2] The increased media coverage of environmental issues has also influenced consumers to make more conscious decisions when purchasing fashion items.^[10]

However, there are drawbacks of vintage fashion. The sustainability aspect of vintage fashion is part of the allure, but the shipping and transportation of the clothes still contribute to the world's carbon footprint. There's also the possibility that the products purchases from a thrift store might contain toxic substances that are harmful to the human body. Finally, low income families who rely on the cheaper prices thrift stores, the main source of vintage clothing, are suffering because of the surge pricing caused by popularity of shopping for vintage clothing. ^[11]

Purchasing vintage clothing is a way to avoid contributing to the negative impacts of fast fashion, since by reusing existing clothes, no production is needed. One of the main benefits of vintage clothing is the reduction of textile waste. The fashion industry is a major contributor to textile waste, with millions of tons of clothing ending up in landfills every year. The United States alone generates a considerable amount of textile waste each year, estimated to be around 34 billion pounds.^[12] Almost three-quarters of this waste is sent to landfills where many textiles are unable to decompose for years.^[12] By using existing clothing instead of producing new clothing, vintage clothing offers an alternative to discarding clothing and extends the life of existing clothing.

Vintage items have typically been produced with higher quality materials, making them longer-lasting compared to fast-fashion garments.^[8] The reduction in the volume of textile waste being sent to landfills also has a positive carbon impact, as clothes in landfill can contribute to greenhouse gases that affect climate change.^[13] The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the world's carbon emissions, exceeding the combined emissions of international flights and maritime shipping.^[14][15] If this trend continues, greenhouse gas emissions from the fashion industry will surge by more than 50% by 2030. In addition, about 500,000 tons of plastic microfibers, equivalent to 50 billion plastic bottles, are dumped into the ocean each year, posing a significant environmental risk as they cannot be removed from the water and can contaminate the food chain.^[15] Moreover, the transportation of new clothing to landfills produces emissions that affect the carbon footprint of fashion.

Vintage fashion prevents energy and other resources from being used to create items of clothing.^[16] The production of new clothing requires significant resources, such as water, energy, and raw materials. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the production of a single pair of jeans necessitates approximately 3,781 liters of water and results in around 33.4 kilograms of carbon equivalent emissions.^[15] Each year, the fashion industry utilizes 93 billion cubic meters of water, enough to satisfy the consumption requirements of five million individuals. Fabric dyeing and treatment account for roughly 20% of the world's wastewater. Unfortunately, 87% of the fiber input used for clothing ends up being either incinerated or disposed of in landfills.^[15] Due to the fact that vintage clothing already exists, no additional resources need to be used that will affect the environment. Vintage clothing conserves these resources by using existing clothing instead of producing new clothing.

The increasing demand for vintage clothing reflects a shift in consumer attitudes towards more thoughtful and distinctive purchases, as opposed to mass-produced products.^[8][17] The vintage fashion market is experiencing significant growth, particularly among younger generations who are increasingly aware of social and environmental issues.^[18] This demographic is turning away from the fast fashion industry, which is considered unsustainable and less unique. Instead, there is a growing demand for unique and personal items that allow buyers to express their individuality and push back against the disruptive changes seen in many economies.^[19] The vintage resale market has been growing at an impressive rate, 21 times faster than traditional apparel retail over the past three years. The market for clothing resale is expected to reach a value of $51 billion in 2023, according to recent reports. The number of women shopping for vintage items has also increased rapidly, from 44 million in 2017 to 56 million in 2018.^[19]

Vintage clothing is often sourced from other countries and transported to new markets, which can contribute to transportation emissions and increase the carbon footprint. The production and transportation of clothing involve the consumption of resources and energy, and the transportation of vintage clothing across borders can result in a significant carbon footprint. Shipping vintage clothing from countries where it is sourced to new markets where it is sold often involves the use of ships and trucks, which emit greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Approximately 90% of the world's trade is carried out by ships, which transport nearly 11 billion tons of commodities annually.^[20] Approximately 2.5% of the world's overall carbon emission is caused by shipping and according to a 2015 study by the European Parliament, it could increase to as much as 17% by 2050.^[20] The demand for vintage clothing has increased in recent years, leading to an increase in transportation emissions associated with the industry.

Vintage clothing may not meet current safety standards and may contain hazardous materials such as lead or asbestos. Quality control is essential to ensure that vintage clothing is safe and of good quality. When shopping for vintage clothing, one must consider safety and quality control as they may not meet current safety standards and could potentially contain hazardous materials like lead or asbestos.^[21] Antiquities can also pose a risk, as they may contain asbestos, a dangerous substance that was commonly used in products such as Bakelite, a synthetic plastic invented in 1907. Bakelite products can contain up to 5% of brown asbestos, which makes them potentially harmful, and products such as cameras, toys, radios, jewelry, door handles, and even toilet seats and cisterns could all contain asbestos.^[21] Although products containing asbestos may be a low risk when in good condition, any damage could release asbestos, dust, and fibers into the air. Certain vintage beauty products, such as talcum powder, may have been contaminated with asbestos as well. As such, when antiquing and vintage shopping, it's vital to be cautious and aware of the potential dangers associated with vintage products.

However, some people are taking advantage of the accessibility, affordability, and sustainability of thrift stores.^[22] It is now common to see teenagers buying clothing from thrift stores and then reselling the same items at inflated prices on apps like Depop, Poshmark, or Instagram. This overconsumption and gentrification of thrifting have been triggered by influencer culture. Thrift stores, which are intended to benefit low-income communities, have faced criticism for raising the prices of second-hand clothing in recent years. Although online resellers are often blamed, thrift stores are often raising prices to cater to wealthier shoppers. The problem is not with the supply of donated goods, but rather the growing demand for thrifted items, which is making it difficult for low-income individuals to access affordable clothing.^[11] Another reason purchasing from thrift stores may be inaccessible is because of their lack of sizing options. Unlike traditional retailers, each article of clothing is unique. As such, thrifting is more effort intensive for consumers and can be more difficult for those who do not have the average body type.^[14]

The demand for fast fashion poses a challenge for vintage fashion and sustainable fashion in general. Fast fashion aims to give consumers access to the latest fashion trends quickly at affordable prices. The global fast fashion market is rapidly growing, with the market size expected to increase from $106.42 billion in 2022 to $122.98 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 15.6%, and to $184.96 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of 10.7%.^[23] This growth can be attributed to the increasing adoption of affordable clothing by the rising youth population. According to the United Nations, the global youth population is expected to grow from 1.2 billion in 2019 to 1.3 billion by 2030, which presents a significant market opportunity for apparel manufacturing companies.^[23] These companies are focused on delivering unique, trendy, and affordable clothes inspired by the latest fashion trends, which have been particularly attractive to the youth demographic. This trend has propelled the growth of the fast fashion market that competes against sustainable fashion.