Secondhand Clothing Shopping Spikes As Americans Look To Spend Less And Save Money

Americans are shopping much for secondhand clothing arsenic they look to walk little and prevention money, according to a caller report.

Shoppers are not only buying from secondhand retailers much but are besides spending little connected each purchase.

“The number of secondhand manner transactions per family grew 9 times faster than secondhand spending successful March, yet consumers crossed each income groups are spending little connected each acquisition since April 2025,” according to a Bank of America Institute report published Tuesday utilizing in installments and debit paper data.

The secondhand clothing manufacture has received a batch of buzz complete nan past mates of years, pinch videos of shoppers’ hauls from thrift stores flooding societal media.

Gen Z, who nan study classifies arsenic those calved aft 1995, person turned their passion for sustainable manner into a broadside hustle.

The generational group made up 41 percent of secondhand sellers this year, up from 37 percent successful 2024, according to nan report. The wide number of Bank of America customers trading secondhand clothing accrued 16 percent successful March from nan twelvemonth before.

Secondhand shopping tin springiness immoderate alleviation to Americans struggling pinch nan costs of living, while making them consciousness bully astir their effect connected nan environment.

“As ostentation persists, and retailers face tariff costs, consumers are facing higher value tags connected apparel – astir 5 times higher than they were a period ago,” nan study said. “Beyond discount apparel, secondhand manner offers consumers an environmentally friends and economical replacement to clothing purchases.”

Inflation soared successful March, chiefly because of high power prices caused by nan US-Israeli warfare connected Iran.

The Consumer Price Index accrued 0.9 percent successful March from nan period before. The costs of user equipment and services roseate 3.3 percent from nan erstwhile year, according to authorities data. The Federal Reserve has a target yearly ostentation complaint of 2 percent.

Nearly a 4th of each households lived paycheck to paycheck past year, according to a Bank of America Institute study from November 2025.

While nan number of Americans who don’t person immoderate wiggle room successful their budgets continues to rise, nan gait of maturation has slowed astir 3 times from 2024 levels, nan study said.

Americans are besides little assured this twelvemonth about having capable money to beryllium financially unafraid done their retirement, according to an annual study conducted by nan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and Greenwald Research released Tuesday.

Just 64 percent of Americans consciousness comfortable pinch their status costs amid higher costs and rising interest astir nan early of societal information nets.