If you’ve ever scrolled through TikTok, you’ll know that Gen Z are obsessed with thrift flips and finding nostalgic y2K finds. A new report from community-powered marketplace app Depop, released last week, shows this (in part) is due to noble intentions, with 75 per cent of those surveyed are looking to reduce clothing consumption. The report surveyed 2,176 Depop users from the UK, US and Australia and conducted individual interviews with a sample of Depop sellers. 

While the generation is known for being sustainably-minded, the report outlines how their interest in secondhand clothes spans beyond saving the planet. Over half of respondents said they buy second hand “to find one of a kind pieces”, while 45 per cent use it “to tap into trends.”

“Growing up in an era of ubiquitous digital technology and an unmatched rate of change, Gen Z has developed an interconnected and fluid way of processing the world, rather than digesting it through a binary framework,” the report states. 

Long gone are the days where secondhand items are viewed as less-than new items, with digital resellers like Depop taking thrifting into a new era where one-off vintage finds reign supreme. Resale has also emerged as a popular side-hustle, with Depop and social media allowing Gen Z to cultivate their non-traditional businesses. 

The report sheds light on Gen Z’s fresh approach to “newness” in fashion, stating that “newness also means one-of-a-kind vintage, repurposed or recycled fashion” to the generation. It also outlines how 90% of Depop users have made changes to become more environmentally friendly in their daily lives. 

As for shifts created through the pandemic, Depop chief brand officer Peter Semple told Vogue Business that events and experiences, in conjunction with technology, remain hugely relevant. In the post-pandemic era, music and entertainment experiences that go beyond buying and selling will be much-needed by Gen Z, he said. “People want the opportunity to buy and sell, but also they want this inspirational layer — and entertainment — through their experiences.”

“Brands have a huge platform so have a responsibility to do good: I am more willing to buy from brands that take a stand.”
— Depop seller, UK

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