According to oec.world, the United States is the leading exporter of secondhand clothing.In 2018, the United States exported 660 million US dollars of secondhand clothing. However, according to the World Economic Forum, “the secondhand clothing market in the United Sates has grown 21 times faster than retail sales of new clothing over the past three years.” Just like third-world countries with low-income families benefit from secondhand clothing exported from the United States; the United States, considered a first-world country, is also highly benefiting from secondhand clothing.
The in-house secondhand clothing market in the United States is estimated to be worth 24 billion US dollars and due to its increasing popularity, it is estimated to grow its worth to 51 billion US dollars in the next decade.
The fashion trend to use vintage clothing, the need to increase household income, and the awareness of fast fashion and its impact on the environment; all have a benefit for buyers and sellers of secondhand clothing.