Oxfam report warns of varying environmental impacts in second-hand clothing

A report by the NGO Oxfam, based on modeling by RDC Environnement, highlights significant environmental differences between various second-hand clothing models. The study reveals that solidarity-based shops, such as Emmaüs or the Red Cross, have a much lower carbon footprint than commercial thrift stores or online resale platforms.

For every five kilograms of clothing, solidarity-based circuits produce approximately 0.6 kg of CO2, whereas commercial thrift stores produce 2.9 kg and online platforms like Vinted produce 3.1 kg. Oxfam notes that commercial thrift stores often import up to 90% of their textiles from abroad, sometimes exporting items to countries like Pakistan for sorting before they are returned to France, which increases transport emissions.

Online resale platforms are criticized for increasing packaging waste and transport emissions due to individual parcel deliveries. While Vinted argues that its model avoids an average of 2.39 kg of CO2 per item compared to new purchases, Oxfam emphasizes that the objectives of these models differ: solidarity networks focus on reuse and social integration, while commercial actors prioritize profit and market expansion.