The global secondhand clothing (resale) market is entering a data-backed acceleration phase. Market analysis released by research firm GlobalData shows that the global apparel resale market is expected to reach $338.4 billion this year, with the category growing 85.5% between 2022 and 2026. Emily Salter, a senior apparel analyst at GlobalData, explaining why traditional retailers are paying attention, said fast-fashion companies are also trying to get in on the action to stay relevant in the market.

The factors driving this round of growth are not singular. According to GlobalData's analysis, cost-of-living pressures are pushing price-sensitive consumers toward secondhand channels; online resale platforms, after years of development, have grown into genuinely convenient marketplaces; and concerns about sustainability lead some consumers to choose resale goods on principle. By category, apparel is expected to be the fastest-growing segment, with footwear close behind.

Another independent report offers a consistent judgment. ThredUp's 14th annual resale report, released in April 2026, predicts that the global secondhand clothing market will reach $393 billion by 2030, growing at roughly twice the rate of the overall apparel retail category. For the U.S. market, the report projects that domestic resale will reach $78.8 billion by 2030, and notes that U.S. secondhand resale grew at nearly four times the rate of traditional apparel retail in 2025. The report also predicts that by 2030, Gen Z and millennial consumers will contribute more than 70% of that growth.

The significance of the $338.4 billion figure lies in the fact that two independent research institutions, using different methods, have described the same structural shift. It also explains why the secondhand racks at local thrift stores are now noticeably more competitive than they were five years ago — when institutional capital and systematic retail infrastructure begin flowing into a category, the once-casual treasure-hunting experience changes along with it.

For the used-clothing trade industry, this means secondhand clothing has shifted from a marginal supplementary channel to a formal market with full data support, capital attention, and retail infrastructure; whether in export sorting, wholesale distribution, or platform resale, all will face a landscape of rising scale and rising competition.

Source: The Global Secondhand Clothing Market Is About to Blow Past $338 Billion in Value This Year Alone, and New Industry Data Shows Exactly Why - AOL · Originally published 2026-09-09