New data from Depop uncovers the seasonal fashion items with the highest estimated environmental impact when bought secondhand on Depop vs new
Leather jackets top the list, saving over 140 lbs CO2e when bought secondhand on Depop, equivalent to the carbon footprint of an iPhone¹
Typical fall and winter items like jackets, boots and jeans command an average water saving almost 3 times higher than summer items
Depop has today revealed the fashion items with the highest estimated environmental impact when bought secondhand on its marketplace instead of new.² This includes perennial fall classics like leather jackets, boots, jeans and trainers and trending boho, sports and 90s-style items like parkas, puffer jackets, maxi skirts and brogues.
The secondhand items with highest potential impact based on Depop’s methodology include³:
Leather jackets - buying secondhand on Depop vs new could save over 12,000 glasses of water and over 140 lbs CO2e, on average, equivalent to the emissions generated throughout the lifecycle of an iPhone 13¹
Fleeces - buying secondhand on Depop vs new could save over 3,500 glasses of water and over 20 lbs CO2e, on average, equivalent to driving more than 30 miles by car⁴
Boots - buying secondhand on Depop vs new could save over 3,500 glasses of water and over 190 lbs CO2e, on average, equivalent to driving more than 300 miles by car⁴
Puffer jackets - buying secondhand on Depop vs new could save over 3,100 glasses of water and over 37 lbs CO2e, on average, equivalent to driving more than 60 miles by car⁴
Parkas - buying secondhand on Depop vs new could save over 2,900 glasses of water and over 35 lbs CO2e, on average, equivalent to driving more than 55 miles by car⁴
Trainers - buying secondhand on Depop vs new could save over 2,300 glasses of water and over 129 lbs CO2e, on average, equivalent to driving more than 200 miles by car⁴
Typical fall and winter items like jackets, boots and jeans command an average saving of over 3,000 glasses of water, compared to an average of around 800 glasses for summer items, and around 1,500 glasses for year-round classics:⁵
Maxi dress - buying secondhand on Depop vs new could save over 540 glasses of water and over 8 lbs CO2e, on average
Polo shirt - buying secondhand on Depop vs new could save over 1,400 glasses of water and 5 lbs CO2e, on average
Shorts - buying secondhand on Depop vs new could save over 1,400 glasses of water and over 4 lbs CO2e, on average
Cami top - buying secondhand on Depop vs new could save over 100 glasses of water and over 3 lbs CO2e, on average
Justine Porterie, Director of Sustainability and DEI at Depop, said: “Some of the most resource-intensive fashion items - like jackets, jeans and boots - are regular staples in fall and winter closets. Buying these items secondhand instead of new means that as a buyer, you can have more impact shopping secondhand in the colder seasons than at any other time of year. We hope these figures encourage even more people to think secondhand first for their fall and winter wardrobes, and look at preloved and vintage items as a way to engage with the latest trends.”
The other items covered in the analysis of over 60 items include trousers, sandals, hoodies, sweatshirts, corsets, maxi skirts, shirts and crop tops.
Contact the press team (press@depop.com) for additional data, and see Depop’s Environmental Impact Measurement Methodology for more on the calculations.
Notes
¹ iPhone 13 128GB including sourcing raw materials, manufacturing, shipping and the end of use. Source
² Based on classification of garment types for items with shared characteristics within a category. List of 60+ items includes clothing subcategories commonly used on Depop, within the categories: bottoms, dresses, outerwear, shoes, tops
³ Based on a calculation of the water usage and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions avoided when buying secondhand items compared to purchasing brand-new (using the average weight for the item subcategory and excluding non-comparable stages of the product life cycle such as assembly, retail, distribution, use and disposal). ‘Glasses’ is based on a 200ml glass. See full details of the methodology & calculation here. Inputs into these numbers are updated every year.
⁴ Based on an average petrol car. Source
⁵ Averages calculated by comparison of item subcategories split by typical seasonal use.