Key Impact Points
- 84% of UK shoppers plan to buy at least one secondhand gift this year, signaling a shift in holiday shopping habits.
- Secondhand gifting reduces environmental impact, helping lower carbon emissions from new textiles, electronics, and toys.
- Nostalgia and affordability drive demand for pre-owned luxury items, classic toys, and curated secondhand treasures.
Secondhand Gifting Gains Momentum
Merle Brown, a 53-year-old writer from Scotland, buys most of her gifts secondhand. “I love the thrill of finding something unique and special that I can’t get anywhere else,” she says. Her Christmas list includes vintage glassware, puzzles, and holiday cards — unique items found in UK charity thrift stores.
Secondhand shopping is on the rise globally. Research by the resale app Vinted shows 84% of UK shoppers plan to purchase at least one pre-owned gift this year. In the US, three in four shoppers say secondhand gifting has become more socially acceptable, according to OfferUp. The British Heart Foundation, operating 680 UK thrift shops, reports surging demand.
Luxury Goes Pre-Owned
Searches for “pre-owned luxury” on eBay Inc. grew over 40% in June compared to the previous year. Mari Corella, eBay’s general manager of global luxury, explains: “A couple years ago it was kind of frowned upon to gift secondhand. But now it’s totally acceptable, and people are more than willing to accept a secondhand Louis Vuitton bag or a Rolex watch.”
The appeal extends to high-quality outerwear and accessories. Jackets from Canada Goose and Arc’teryx are winter favorites, often selling at a fraction of the retail price on resale platforms like ThredUp. Wallets, jewelry, and curated holiday handbags are also trending. Samina Virk, US CEO of Vestiaire Collective, highlights their curated secondhand gift guide, noting the simplicity of accessories: “There’s no tricky sizing guesswork.”
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Environmental and Budget Benefits
Secondhand shopping supports sustainable practices. The European Environment Agency reports that producing one metric ton of textiles emits 15 to 35 tons of carbon. Gifts like furniture, electronics, and toys carry significant environmental footprints, driving interest in thrifted alternatives.
Kate Sanner, CEO of Beni, a resale shopping tool, emphasizes affordability: “Resale is this amazing tool during the holidays to really level up your gift giving, and do it in a way that doesn’t require you to go beyond your means.”
Nostalgia Drives Secondhand Popularity
Nostalgia plays a significant role in gifting trends. Classic toys like Sylvanian Families and Pokémon cards, records, and vintage games are top sellers. Natacha Blanchard from Vinted says, “Records, classic game consoles, and cameras are popular gifts for the same reason.”
At London’s Any Amount of Books, beautifully bound novels by Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters are holiday favorites. William Hayward, a bookseller, connects secondhand treasures to legacy: “It’s to do with the age and the sharing of past to present that comes with that.”
A Gift That Lasts
For Merle Brown, her most cherished secondhand gift was a coffee set her late father bought her 30 years ago from a local thrift store. “I still have it to this day,” she says. “It means so much to me.”
Read the full version of this story on Bloomberg.com
