Is Preloved the Future of Fashion? It Should Be

Ever bought a popular new top or accessory at the height of its trend cycle, only to wear it once and then forget it lived in the back of your wardrobe? You’re not alone.

Clothing consumption in Australia is higher than anywhere else in the world – even the US. We’re rotating through clothes faster than ever, with Aussies buying an average of 56 new items per year – mostly fast fashion that’ll end up in landfill. Ultra-fast fashion has been on the rise, with Shein hitting an estimated $1.3 billion in sales here in the 12 months to June 2025.

While the stats point to a bleak future where polyester and rayon languish in landfill for millennia, there is a tiny bit of hope – a movement that indirectly counteracts the waste produced by fast fashion.

Preloved fashion is on the rise, with the second-hand fashion market exploding in Australia – and set to keep going. Social media and second-hand retail platforms have made it easier than ever to sell your unwanted items, with an added boost thanks to the popularity of online thrifting hauls.

Even fashion trends seem to be following the footsteps of preloved and vintage shopping. Y2K fashion, dresses over jeans and Nirvana-era grunge layering are everywhere again, with ’90s and ’00s clothing, bag and accessory styles becoming new favourites. Spotted a military jacket blowing up on Tiktok?  Pop into your local Vinnies or shop from home and you’ll probably have it at your doorstep within days. Trends move fast and preloved lets you keep up without the guilt of purchasing new.

It’s easy to see preloved as the natural future of fashion for shoppers with changing interests and an increased focus on sustainable choices. And op shops are getting in on it, too.

Vinnies has gone online with a new, searchable online destination called Vinnies Finds. That means you can shop second-hand on your phone or computer and search for exactly what you need without driving to an op shop and trawling through the racks, hanger by hanger.

Bonus: shopping second-hand positively impacts more than just the environment. Places like Vinnies offers support for homelessness, food insecurity, education and more for the local community, with programs funded by purchases of donated items. Buying from a Vinnies op shop or Vinnies Finds doubles your good clothing karma by ensuring you not only contribute to increasing circularity in a saturated fashion environment, but also help those in need.

If preloved is, indeed, the future of fashion, what more can we do with that $1.5 billion industry? How can it truly make a difference? Choosing sustainable fashion and reducing clothing should go hand-in-hand with supporting those in need, so your outfit does more than just look good.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Vinnies NSW.