Secondhand vs Rental: Which Clothes are Most Sustainable?

The fashion industry is a surprisingly large contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. On a micro level, a new T-shirt has about the same carbon impact as a big, beefy burger: generating ~11-13 lbs of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). On a macro level, a 2018 Quantis report found the fashion industry accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to 3,990 million tons of CO2e. That’s 2-3x the impact of the aviation industry.

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Production comprises 98% of the carbon impact of clothing. While distribution’s impact on the planet is “negligible”, rapid delivery (via air) over standard shipping can increase the carbon impact of distribution by 35%.

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^{Contribution of the apparel industry to climate change by value chain stage. Source: “Measuring Fashion.” Quantis International. 2018.}

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The upside is that buying fewer clothes is the single most impactful thing we can do to manage the carbon impact of our closets. Unfortunately, that's not the direction we’re headed in. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation found that most consumers wear clothes just 7-10 times before they end up in the trash. A Statista report values the U.S. apparel market at $292 billion, expected to grow by 34% by 2025.

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So if you want to start transitioning to a pro-planet closet, which efforts make the most impact? We did some calculations to help illustrate the impact of different fashion choices.

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Shopping secondhand: High Eco Impact

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Shopping secondhand will save you a lot of emissions, assuming you’re not buying more secondhand items than you would have bought new. ‍The average American purchases five or more articles of clothing each month, amounting to a carbon impact of 360 kgs (or 794 lbs) CO₂e per year. If those clothes are secondhand, you could save around $900 and 330 kg (728 lbs) of CO2e this year. That’s approximately equal to one roundtrip flight from Boston to Washington D.C.

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Visit your local thrift store and search online secondhand sites like Depop or Etsy to find clothes that are new-to-you. If you want to save even more money, go the free route by organizing a clothing swap with friends in your community to refresh your wardrobe without spending cash or producing CO2e emissions.

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Emissions breakdown of choosing secondhand clothing: 

• Clothing: 0 kg CO₂e/ month (no new demand for clothes)
• Shipping: 2.5 kg CO₂e/ month (assume purchasing one new item of clothing per month)
• Annual estimated footprint savings: 330kg (728 lbs) CO₂e per year. The compaison is of 30 kg CO₂e / year by buying one used item of clothing per month vs. 360 kg CO₂e/ year by buying five new articles of clothing per month.
• Annual estimated cost savings: $900/ year . On average, second hand clothing can be 50-70% cheaper than buying new clothes. The average American spends about $1800/year on clothing and related services, making buying second hand an opportunity to save upwards of $900 per year.
  
  

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Buy fewer, higher quality pieces: High Eco Impact

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Investing in fewer, higher quality pieces can save you $800 and 270 kg (595 lbs) of CO2e this year. That’s more than a roundtrip flight from Boston to NYC.

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By purchasing fewer, higher-quality items, we can increase clothing utilization and reduce landfill – and still look good doing it.

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Vetta Capsule creates sustainably produced pieces and each capsule of six to eight pieces combines to create roughly 30 outfits. Patagonia repairs apparel for free and created Worn Wear to resell used clothing. Levi Strauss decreased the water intensity of jean production and includes care instructions for owners to decrease your carbon footprint and make denim last longer. Commons has a directory of 300+ brands that offsets their emissions. Purchases from these brands have a carbon footprint of 0. 

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When you buy clothing, consider how the pieces were made. Look for natural fibers, sustainably-produced or organic items, and high-quality manufacturing to increase the longevity of wear.

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Emissions breakdown capsule wardrobe with a few high quality pieces

• Clothing: 5 kg CO₂e/ month (ten new pieces of high-quality clothing in a year)
• Shipping: 2.5 kg CO₂e/ month (assuming $10 shipping)
• Estimated footprint savings: 270 kg (595 lbs) CO₂e/ year. Live lighter with a carbon footprint from clothing of 90 kg/year vs 360kg/year if you were to buy five new articles of clothing per month.
• Estimated cost savings: $800/ year. Assuming a high-quality item of clothing could cost up to $100, purchasing ten new items in a year would cost $1000, versus spending $1,800 on 60 new items.
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Rent instead of buy: Unclear Eco Impact

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If you buy between 2+ items of clothing/ month, you may improve your footprint by switching to a rental subscription. However, if you buy fewer items of clothing/ month, or would want buy clothes in addition to a rental subscription, renting could actually increase your footprint.

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Rent the Runway and Hurr Collective make it possible to stay on-trend without buying clothes outright. Unfortunately, most of these luxury items aren’t produced sustainably, and depending on your current habits, could mean an increase in your net footprint.

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A rental subscription could be a more sustainable option if you transition from purchasing two or more clothing items per month to purchasing no clothing at all. If you’re someone who purchases fast fashion regularly, renting is better than buying new pieces you’ll wear only 7-10 times. However, if you are a less-frequent buyer of clothing, or are open to reducing the number of new pieces you buy, rental fashion is not as sustainable an option.

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Emissions breakdownI of monthly box with four articles of clothing

• Clothing: 4 kg CO2e/ month (four pieces/month * 6 kg CO2e each / 6 uses per item)
• Shipping: 5 kg CO2e/ month (2.5 kg * 2 to receive and return shipment, assuming $10 shipping)
• Cost savings compared to fast fashion: Produce only 108 kg (238 lbs) CO2e vs. 360kg if you were buying 5 new articles of clothing/ month.
• Cost savings compared to high-quality items: Produce an extra 18 kg (40 lbs) of CO2e by renting rather than purchasing fewer, higher-quality pieces.
• Estimated cost savings: $720/ year. Rent the Runway’s monthly package costs about $90/month, or $1080/year. Compare to spending $1,800/ year on new clothes, the subscription model could make economic sense if you don’t buy much additional clothing.
  
  

Building a sustainable closet isn’t just about what comes in, but how you deal with the pieces going out. When it’s time to give your clothes a new home, follow our guide for getting rid of clothes responsibly.