How Malaysia Got in on the Secondhand Clothing Boom

Sellers from the country have become a reliable source of sought-after labels, finding high value in discarded items.

Maybe it was the pandemic, or growing concerns about the environment, or a bit of both, but one thing’s certain: People are doing a lot more secondhand shopping these days.

Secondhand clothing is one of the fastest growing sectors in the global fashion marketplace, as consumers seek out affordable, eco-friendly alternatives to fast fashion. Even celebrities are picking pre-owned looks for red carpet appearances.

A 2021 report from the resale platform ThredUp and the analytics firm GlobalData projected that used clothing sales would rise to nearly $77 billion by 2025 from $36 billion this year.