At Depop, we're on a mission to Make Fashion Circular. The fashion industry is extremely resource intensive and puts an immense strain on our planet. That's why we've built our platform on the idea that every clothing item deserves a second life. By buying fashion secondhand, our community reduces waste and cuts down on the greenhouse gas emissions associated with new production.
Whilst extending the life of clothing is central to our mission, it’s important to acknowledge that our platform’s operations generate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which scientists agree should be reduced to lessen the impacts of climate change. GHG emissions—like carbon—trap heat, while some—like nitrous oxide (N20) and methane—are pollutants. The build up of these emissions exacerbates natural disasters and contributes to poor air quality.
That's why we’re supporting climate solutions that reduce our emissions footprint and projects that promote cleaner air and cut emissions beyond our business.
Depop invests in climate solutions like electric trucks and carbon offsets for every delivery.
Every year, we measure the shipping and packaging GHG emissions for every delivery on Depop as well as from other business activities like our offices and business travel. Along with our parent company Etsy, Inc., we then charge ourselves a fee for these emissions—at no cost to buyers or sellers—and create an Emissions Budget, which we invest in climate solutions. At the end of each year, we report our progress on this page.
Our climate goals
We provide yearly updates on our progress towards the following targets:
Net Zero Emissions by 2040
- 97% reduction in Scope 3 emissions (e.g. shipping, packaging & procurement) per dollar/ gross profit
- 90% reduction in absolute Scope 1 & 2 emissions (e.g. offices)
Energy
- Annually source 100% renewable energy for electricity consumed by our offices and employees working from home
How it works:
- Measure: We track emissions annually, from office energy use to shipping and packaging.
- Reduce: We target a 5–7% annual emissions cut through operational changes like supplier engagement and energy efficiency initiatives.
- Invest: We spend at least 25% of our Emissions Budget (see more below) on activities that reduce our emissions like renewable energy for our offices or helping our delivery partners purchase electric trucks.
- Support: With the remaining funds, we support initiatives outside our business that improve air quality, strengthen community resilience, and advance global net zero efforts.
- Report: We publish transparent annual updates, including challenges and lessons learned.
About Our Emissions Budget
The Emissions Budget is how we take responsibility for our impact. We charge ourselves a fee for the emissions we produce, which is paid from our revenue. A portion of these funds goes to initiatives that directly reduce our emissions—helping us reach our Net Zero goals-while the remainder is invested in carbon offset projects that help cut emissions outside our business.
In 2025, we've committed to allocate:
Depop's Avoided Emissions Methodology
Outside of the emissions that Depop directly produces, we know that clothing causes an environmental impact when it is made, used and disposed of. Production of raw materials, fabric processing and manufacturing of garments are all major contributors to the overall environmental impact of a piece of clothing – with detrimental effects including high emissions of greenhouse gases, water consumption, excessive waste, and contamination of water sources and land[4]. A simple way to reduce the overall environmental impact of fashion is to reuse what already exists – displacing brand-new purchases with secondhand ones.
Our Environmental Impact Measurement Methodology sets out Depop's approach to estimate the environmental impact of secondhand purchases made on Depop compared to brand-new items. We estimate the avoided environmental impact through secondhand purchases made on Depop for two major areas: greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and water consumption.
Our climate principles:
- Emissions goals credibility: We've aligned with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) Net Zero standard. SBTi has reviewed and approved our goal.
- Emissions measurement credibility: We have a third-party review our data and provide limited assurance.
- Emissions budget and investments credibility: We've aligned with the Climate Change Project's Climate Label Certified Standard, which defines a credible price companies should pay for their emissions and the types of activities they should support.
- Strategy and claims transparency: We provide updates to our climate work in both Etsy Inc.'s Integrated Report and, going forward, on this page.
[1] Higher control corporate emissions: office natural gas & electricity, business travel
[2] Lower control corporate emissions: corporate spend, office waste, employee commuting, remote worker energy, end-user energy usage
[3] Pro-rata basis for marketplace emissions: Depop measures 100% of emissions associated with shipping and packaging activity. We apply a $15 fee to Depop's take rate (e.g., Depop revenue/Depop GMS) per Climate Change Label guidance.