KORAs second-hand trading becomes increasingly active, we are living in an era where un-worn clothes in the closet can turn into cash. The second-hand clothing market has grown to the point where even department stores and major fashion companies are jumping in.
Reporter Sim Useop.
Lim Hae-rin, a college student, visited a vintage shop in Seongsu-dong, Seoul.
The skirt worn by Lim, who is known on social media as a stylish fashionista, is also a second-hand designer product she purchased for less than a third of its original price.
[Lim Hae-rin / College student: The price is affordable, but the biggest thing is that vintage items include many pieces that are now discontinued and hard to find. Vintage items have a uniqueness that new clothes don't, so when you mix and match them, you can complete a certain vibe.]
A second-hand clothing collection corner has opened right next to famous fashion brand stores in a department store.
When customers bring in clothes they no longer wear, they receive department store points. The second-hand company then washes and inspects the clothes, selling them at affordable prices around 30% of their original retail value.
The department store encourages customers to purchase other products using these points.
[Ju Se-ah / Team Leader at Second-Hand Clothing Brand 'Anchors': If these were displayed alongside brand-new products in a department store, they are in such a condition close to new that it would be hard to tell whether they are used or not. Even older generations are actively participating in the (second-hand clothing) market.]
While the domestic fashion market as a whole is struggling due to high exchange rates and economic stagnation, the second-hand clothing market continues to grow as recession-driven consumption spreads, particularly among the younger generation.
The market is projected to expand from around 5 trillion won in 2024 to up to 10 trillion won by 2028.
Amid the rapid growth of online second-hand clothing specialists such as Fruitz and Charan, Musinsa's second-hand clothing sales, which launched in August of last year, have also seen transaction volumes grow tenfold in just 10 months.
[Kim Ji-woo / Adjunct Professor, Department of Design, Chung-Ang University: In the process of second-hand clothing partially replacing new products, cannibalization is an unavoidable aspect. However, there are clear advantages in presenting content that styles new products together with second-hand clothing...]
Globally, as the trend of reasonably purchasing clothes that match one's personal taste grows, there are even forecasts that one in four traded garments will be a second-hand item by next year.
(Video Editing: Kim Jong-mi, VJ: Jeong Han-wook, Design: Seo Seung-hyun)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
Video News
Video News
Video News
Video News
Video News