- Categories:
- Cause
- Tags:
- Environment
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every August 25
- Holiday emoji:
- ♻️
National Secondhand Wardrobe Day champions sustainable fashion every August 25. This day encourages everyone to explore the benefits of buying and donating pre-loved clothing, fostering a circular economy. Reduce your environmental footprint, discover unique finds, and support a greener planet by embracing secondhand style.
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Expected National Secondhand Wardrobe Day Deals
As a Cause holiday, National Secondhand Wardrobe Day focuses on promoting sustainable practices rather than commercial sales. Expect many local and national thrift stores, consignment shops, and online resale platforms to highlight their mission and encourage donations. Organizations like Goodwill and The Salvation Army Family Stores will likely run campaigns emphasizing the environmental and community benefits of their operations, potentially offering special donation incentives or educational workshops. Online platforms such as ThredUp, Poshmark, and Depop might feature curated collections or offer special shipping deals to encourage buying and selling pre-owned items. Sustainable fashion brands like Patagonia Worn Wear and REI Used Gear could also promote their repair and resale programs. We will update this page with confirmed live initiatives as August 25 approaches.
Platform Guide for National Secondhand Wardrobe Day
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #SecondhandStyle. Share your thrift store finds, outfit transformations, or tips for sustainable shopping.
X/Twitter
Mention @NatlToday and use #SecondhandWardrobe. Join discussions on textile waste, ethical fashion, and the environmental impact of fast fashion.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #ThriftFinds. Post about local donation drives, community swap events, or your favorite secondhand shops.
National Secondhand Wardrobe Day Hero
Orsola de Castro
History of National Secondhand Wardrobe Day
We are not advocating wearing tattered clothes or items that are clearly unhygienic, but buying secondhand clothes from reputable sources has so many great benefits that we can’t imagine why it gets frowned upon!
The first and most obvious benefit is the savings; you get articles for a fraction of the price of retail. The clothes are in great condition, and if you take your time, you can find vintage designer clothes or even licensed merchandise. You will also find that, as compared to fast fashion, the quality and longevity of secondhand clothing are mostly better.
The next and most important reason for buying secondhand is to conserve the Earth’s resources, decrease pollution, and have a more sustainable lifestyle. Tons of clothing is discarded and dumped in landfills, which is such a tragic waste! Destroying the environment and wasting your hard-earned money on new clothing just because a certain article is no longer trendy is horribly wasteful.
Before the Industrial Revolution, clothing was expensive, limited, and not as easily disposable. Following the Industrial Revolution, mass production of clothing led to mass consumerism. Soon, people began buying clothes often and tossing old ones out. And the stigma attached to secondhand clothing — that it is a sign of lack of money — began rearing its head.
This changed when Christian ministries started drives to collect clothing and accessories to resell to fund their programs. Thrift stores started to pop up, benefiting and giving an incentive to those who were providing charity services. Today, Gen Zs and Millennials are active in promoting sustainable fashion and reducing waste. 77% of Millennials prefer purchasing clothing that is environmentally friendly.
National Secondhand Wardrobe Day timeline
The Industrial Revolution triggers high-scale consumerism.
Goodwill is founded in Boston by Reverend Edgar J. Helms.
Naomi Campbell wears a silver Versace dress at the Fragrance Foundation Awards, which she had already worn once before in 1998.
Shoppers can now browse secondhand clothing on websites and Facebook pages.
How Businesses Can Celebrate National Secondhand Wardrobe Day
Local businesses can participate in National Secondhand Wardrobe Day by promoting sustainable consumption and textile recycling. Thrift stores and consignment shops can host special events, offer discounts, or organize workshops on mending and upcycling clothes. Fashion boutiques could partner with local charities for clothing donation drives, offering incentives for participation. Even non-fashion businesses can encourage employees to organize a company-wide clothing swap or donate gently used professional attire to organizations that help job seekers. Emphasize the environmental benefits and community impact of supporting the secondhand economy.
Traditions
On National Secondhand Wardrobe Day, it is all about breaking the stigma surrounding second-hand clothes and making the choice to shift to sustainable fashion. Reducing, reusing, and recycling clothing is encouraged so that an example is set for newer generations to follow. Local thrift stores have their prices slashed even further so more people are tempted to buy from them.
Thrift and secondhand hauls are posted online on social media sites like Instagram. Outfits of the Day feature secondhand items and recommendations for online thrift stores are given. As a further incentive for buyers, many campaigns highlighting the exploitation of labor by the fast fashion industry are posted online, as well as the dangers of fast fashion to our natural resources.
National Secondhand Wardrobe Day By The Numbers
1 in 5 – the number of Americans who will shop at a thrift store at least once during the year.
$17.5 billion – the revenue of the resale industry in the United States every year.
⅓ – the segment of the resale industry revenues that are generated by Goodwill.
$5.9 billion – the sales generated by Goodwill in 2017.
$1 billion – the combined exports of textiles by the U.S. and the U.K.
10.5 million tons – the amount of clothing sent to landfills every year.
60% – the percentage of consumers who prefer buying secondhand items in person.
700 gallons – the amount of water used to make a single cotton T-shirt.
95% – the percentage of clothing that is dumped in landfills that can be recycled.
1 in 4 – the number of Gen Xers who are resale shoppers.
26% – the percentage of luxury shoppers who also shop thrift.
National Secondhand Wardrobe Day FAQs
When is National Secondhand Wardrobe Day?
National Secondhand Wardrobe Day 2026 falls on Tuesday, August 25, encouraging everyone to explore the benefits of pre-loved clothing. It’s the perfect mid-week reminder to consider sustainable fashion choices.
How much textile waste is generated annually?
Globally, an estimated 92 million tons of textile waste are generated annually, with a significant portion ending up in landfills. This staggering figure highlights the urgent need for sustainable practices like secondhand shopping and recycling.
How big is the secondhand fashion market?
The global secondhand apparel market was valued at approximately $177 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow significantly, potentially reaching $350 billion by 2027. This rapid expansion reflects a growing consumer appetite for sustainable and affordable fashion.
What are the environmental benefits of buying secondhand?
Buying secondhand clothing significantly reduces environmental impact by extending the life cycle of garments, thereby decreasing the demand for new production. This conserves water, energy, and raw materials, and reduces landfill waste and carbon emissions associated with manufacturing.
National Secondhand Wardrobe Day Activities
Convince a non-believer
Sometimes all it takes is one trip to the thrift store for someone to realize what they’ve been missing out on all their life. Try convincing a friend who’s never experienced secondhand wardrobe shopping, to tag along with you on a trip. Chances are, your friend will "convert" into a secondhand shop believer and start shopping there too!
Try a new style
Shopping for a secondhand wardrobe means you can peruse through styles that cross decades and trends. If you’re looking to break out of a fashion rut, hit the secondhand stores to find your "inner bohemian." If you find a piece of clothing you like, keep it. If, after a while you get tired of the piece, donate it again. Someone out there is bound to take it.
Clear out your closet
Secondhand stores run on donated clothing and one of the best ways to keep this cycle moving is to clear out your closet. Spend the day emptying drawers and hangers. Sort through those gift sweaters, event T-shirts, and fashion faux pas you never wear. What you don't want, haul over to the local thrift store. You’ll feel lighter and cleaner, and what was once your trash could be another person’s fashion treasure.
5 Reasons You Should Buy Secondhand Clothing
Unique ensemble
You can wear what everyone is wearing from the go-to fashion brands, or you can create an ensemble that is unique from thrift stores.
Promoting sustainable fashion
Not only will you be promoting a cause that is beneficial for the environment’s preservation, but you’ll look fantastic doing it too!
Down with fast fashion
Fast fashion exploits labor workers in underdeveloped countries, raising ethical concerns — another reason for us to shop secondhand!
Limited edition
You’ll really need to dig deep, but there have been countless stories of people finding one-of-a-kind vintage designer wear in thrift stores and clothes drives.
You save money
In today’s economy, splurging is out and penny-pinching is in!
Why We Love National Secondhand Wardrobe Day
It’s like a treasure hunt
You never know exactly what you’ll find on any given trip to the thrift store and that’s part of the excitement! You may find that designer shirt for a fraction of the price at any retail store, or you could walk away empty-handed. The low cost also makes it easy to commit to a style you’d like to try out just for fun.
It’s great for children’s clothes
Shopping for children’s clothes at thrift stores is a no-brainer. Considering that kids will grow out of those shoes, pants, and shirts in eight months anyway, paying extra for the same clothes seems senseless. Bring your brood along and let them roam. They'll feel like they're on a treasure hunt!
It gives back to the community
Many thrift stores and secondhand clothing chains provide jobs and they are an integral part of the community. Goodwill, a non-profit, is one of the nation’s largest and most well-known secondhand store chains. The company employs nearly 69,000 people across the country. Your donation of goods or your purchase from a Goodwill store, helps pay the wages of all those employees.
Social Media Tips for National Secondhand Wardrobe Day
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