Methods
Six online qualitative discussion groups conducted in October 2022.
45 women aged 18–35 from Dublin, Cork and Galway participated.
Included a mix of second-hand clothing advocates, occasional purchasers and less-engaged consumers.
Built upon findings from the EPA’s nationally representative textiles survey conducted in 2021.
Main Findings
The results are presented in a series of four sections:
Section 1 Approach, needs and attitudes to clothes shopping
Section 2 Understanding the Second Hand clothing context
Section 3 Shopping for Second Hand clothing
Section 4 Increasing engagement with Second Hand clothing.
Online shopping dominates clothing purchasing due to convenience, variety and ease of use, creating strong competition for second-hand alternatives.
Consumers often default to buying new clothing, associating it with self-care, convenience and certainty of quality.
Awareness and interest in second-hand clothing are increasing, particularly among younger consumers and those familiar with platforms such as Depop.
Sustainability, affordability and uniqueness are key motivations for second-hand clothing advocates, while non-users frequently associate second-hand clothing with concerns about cleanliness, quality and stigma.
Social influence plays a major role, with friendship groups, trends and a sense of belonging helping drive engagement with second-hand fashion.
Many participants describe second-hand shopping as a form of “treasure hunting”, where finding unique and affordable items creates a strong sense of satisfaction and reward.
