Depop, the community-powered circular fashion marketplace, has released new research using an industry-aligned methodology from WRAP, which demonstrates how secondhand shopping on the platform displaces the purchase of brand-new items.
Our mission is to make fashion circular, and production of new garments is a major contributor to the overall environmental impact of a piece of clothing*. Reusing what already exists is a straightforward way to reduce this impact*. To drive real change, however, this effect must be measured credibly and consistently. That is why Depop collaborated with industry peers and The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to contribute to an updated, standardised framework for measuring how circular fashion business models like resale offset the demand for new clothing.
Key Findings
Using the new methodology, our research revealed:
Globally, over 3 in 5 purchases on Depop displace the purchase of brand new items elsewhere. Here is the breakdown across our three key markets:
68% in the UK
64% in the US
72% in Australia
Secondhand fast fashion contributes equally to this shift. The study found virtually no difference in displacement rates for fast fashion items bought on Depop (69% UK, 63% US, 74% AU), indicating that the platform encourages both fast fashion and non-fast fashion consumers to choose secondhand options.
Depop users are intentional. If an item isn't available, the vast majority of buyers (71%) will either keep searching or buy nothing at all, showing more deliberate and sustainable consumption patterns among Depop users.
The Methodology
In 2022, Depop was one of the pioneers in publishing its displacement rate. We built on this by partnering with WRAP along with peers to contribute to WRAP’s Displacement Rates Untangled Report earlier this year.
The updated methodology is designed to be more conservative by accounting for factors like impulse purchases and user uncertainty, giving us a more accurate view of how Depop slows the demand for new and a credible tool for measurement.
Depop & Fast Fashion
With 92 million tonnes of textile waste ending up in landfill each year*, Depop’s ambition as a resale platform is to keep existing garments in circulation for as long as possible. For this reason, we intentionally don’t prevent fast fashion from being sold on the marketplace. We want to convert as many people as possible to secondhand, and for some, the entry point is fast fashion. People who would have otherwise bought brand new fast fashion items are coming to Depop to find certain brands, and are able to explore and find a wider range of unique secondhand items on our platform.
Our research also shows that if users don’t find what they are looking for, the majority either keep looking, or buy nothing (71% of surveyed buyers, rising to 73% in the US), and very little buy a brand new fast fashion item instead (6%). This behaviour underscores a significant shift towards more deliberate and sustainable consumption patterns among Depop users. Rather than making impulsive purchases, these consumers demonstrate a willingness to wait or go without, reflecting a growing commitment to environmental considerations and a reduction in demand for new fast fashion products.
We are working towards giving users more control and opportunities for personalisation when it comes to shaping their Depop experience. Ultimately, Depop wants users to adopt more mindful shopping, increasing the chance they’ll discover something truly unique and wanted, secondhand. This complements Depop’s mission to make fashion circular, not by limiting choices, but by equipping users to shop more intentionally.
Read the full report: here.
Note on data: Data contained in this release is based on a survey of 3,759 Depop users across three markets (UK n=1316, USA n=1334, Australia n=1109) in November 2024. The survey was open to users who had made a purchase of clothing on Depop (including shoes and accessories) between August 2024 and November 2024.
Notes:
*McKinsey, Fashion on Climate (2020)
*A Life Cycle Assessment (2023) from European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) showed reusing clothing has an environmental impact that is 70 times lower than producing new garments.
*Sustainable fashion to take centre stage on Zero Waste Day 2025, UNEP