Increasing sustainability awareness expected to boost vintage clothing sales this holiday season

New York – A recent survey reveals that increasing concerns and awareness of the importance of a sustainable apparel ecosystem will boost vintage clothing sales this upcoming holiday season.

A new survey from Accenture indicates that issues of sustainability and security are factoring into people’s thinking, to the point where shoppers in the U.S. said secondhand is OK for gifts either because it’s in vogue or because they’ve become critical of fashion waste.

Similarly, half of all shoppers said they approve of greener delivery options, such as waiting for online orders to be bundled into one box to reduce the environmental impact.

“The shopping scene “has entered into an era of responsible retail where consumers are becoming more environmentally and socially conscious and will increasingly turn to brands that not only talk about responsibility but demonstrate it through business practices,” said Jill Standish, senior managing director and head of Accenture’s global retail practice, in a note announcing the survey’s results.

Some retailers are already taking good note of this shift in consumers’ behaviours, said Lori Zumwinkle, Accenture’s North American retail lead. This is the case of ThredUP, for example, which has added departments in J.C. Penney and Macy’s stores. In a similar vein, Neiman Marcus added a luxury vintage section to its new store in New York’s Hudson Yards and purchased a stake in pre-owned handbag retailer Fashionphile. Dallas-based Forty Five Ten also added vintage to its Hudson Yards store, recalls the ‘Telegraph Herald’.

“Stores still matter. Shoppers still value the store experience, with 80% in Dallas saying they plan to shop in stores,” Zumwinkle added. “Retailers are doing a good job of integrating the store and online experience.”