UK kids are fashion entrepreneurs and love secondhand - report

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
November 8, 2023

UK kids, tweens and teens — that is Gen Alpha and Gen Z — are embracing circular fashion with a healthy dose of fashion entrepreneurism and love of secondhand clothing. 

That’s according to a new study from GoHenry, which highlighted the 80% of UK kids aged 6-18 years old buying secondhand clothing, and 47% spending up to £250 annually on pre-worn items.

The prepaid debit card and financial education app also said that 45% of these young people are reselling items they’ve bought secondhand at least once a year.

Their re-use and regeneration of clothing items “allows them to stay on top of trends and replenish their wardrobes, without buying new clothes or spending much — if any — extra cash,” we’re told.

In fact, kids as young as eight are “earning £60 a year on average from peer-to-peer marketplaces including eBay Depop and Vinted,” with the research showing 40% of kids are earning up to £100 a year selling clothes from the comfort of their own homes.

GoHenry said these youthful consumers are “proving to be the most socially conscious and money-savvy generation to date”. As well as the figures above, it found that annual spending increased by 78% on Depop and 24% on Vinted from 2021-2022.

Some 55% are opting for pre-owned items to save money and as many as 20% use secondhand as a way of getting premium brands at reasonable prices.

But it’s not all about saving cash and “socially conscious motivations" are also pushing the younger generation towards secondhand, although the numbers here are lower.

Up to a fifth of them are shopping pre-loved for ethical and/or environmental reasons, or to support charitable causes.

The research was conducted by Censuswide with a sample of 1,003 of young people aged 6-18 polled during September.