Designing the Future: How Women Are Redefining Fashion Through Recommerce

Fashion Meets Sustainability

Fashion is having a reality check. For decades, the industry thrived on speed, trends, and overproduction — but that system is showing cracks. Consumers are rethinking not just what they wear, but how they buy, use, and reuse clothing.

In 2023, the U.S. apparel resale market reached $43 billion, growing seven times faster than traditional retail (Baker, 2024). What used to be niche — secondhand shopping — is now one of the biggest movements in fashion.

And at the center of this transformation? Women.

From young entrepreneurs flipping thrifted finds on Depop, to designers experimenting with circular fashion models, to everyday shoppers renting luxury dresses for a weekend, women are driving recommerce — a movement that merges sustainability, creativity, and economics.

“It’s no longer about having more; it’s about doing more with what we already have.”

The Resale Market Is Growing Rapidly

Recommerce — the buying, selling, renting, and upcycling of secondhand items — is reshaping the global fashion economy.

According to ThredUp’s 2024 Resale Report, apparel resale is one of the fastest-growing sectors in retail, fueled by economic necessity and environmental awareness.

• The U.S. resale apparel market hit $43 billion in 2023, growing seven times faster than retail (Baker, 2024).

• ThredUp projects the global resale market will double by 2027, surpassing $350 billion by 2028 (ThredUp, 2024).

• Women’s apparel represents the largest and fastest-growing segment of resale.

It’s easy to see why. Inflation has made fashion feel out of reach for many shoppers, but secondhand provides an alternative: stylish, sustainable, and affordable.

For many women, resale is more than a cost-saving measure — it’s a statement. It reflects a new way to engage with fashion ethically and intelligently.

Women Are the Leaders of Recommerce

This movement wouldn’t exist without women. From the seller photographing her curated finds on Poshmark to the designer experimenting with biodegradable fibers, women are the visionaries behind the shift toward circular fashion.

• Women dominate platforms like Depop, Poshmark, and The RealReal, running microbusinesses that combine fashion, sustainability, and entrepreneurship (Depop, 2023).

• Resale allows women to monetize creativity, transforming personal closets into curated boutiques.

• Sellers aren’t just moving inventory — they’re building communities around style and authenticity.

As someone who loves browsing resale apps, I see it firsthand — clothing listings feel more like art portfolios than product pages. Each piece tells a story, from how it was styled to who wore it before. That storytelling gives resale a sense of meaning that fast fashion simply can’t replicate.

This shift is empowering. Women aren’t just consumers of fashion anymore — they’re curators, creators, and contributors to a global sustainable movement.

Sustainability and Style Go Hand in Hand

Once, buying secondhand meant settling. Today, it means making a statement.

According to ThredUp (2024):

• Buying one used item extends its lifespan by 2.5 years on average.

• It reduces carbon emissions by 24% and saves 82% of water compared to buying new.

• The average resale shopper displaces nearly 20 pounds of carbon emissions annually just by choosing used over new.

For women who love fashion but care about the planet, resale provides the perfect balance. It’s creativity with conscience.

Personally, I find it inspiring that sustainability no longer means sacrificing style. Today’s resale pieces — from vintage Levi’s to high-end rentals — are proof that ethical fashion can also be aspirational.

ThredUp’s 2024 Resale Report: Measuring the Momentum

ThredUp’s annual report has become the go-to barometer for fashion’s sustainability revolution. Now in its 12th year, the 2024 Resale Report highlights how recommerce has evolved from a trend to a permanent pillar of the industry.

Key insights (ThredUp, 2024):

• The global resale market is projected to reach $350 billion by 2028.

• Resale grew seven times faster than traditional retail in 2023.

• Over half of U.S. consumers bought secondhand apparel last year.

• 60% of consumers said buying used gives them “the most bang for their buck.”

• 163 brands now offer resale or trade-in programs — a 31% increase from 2022.

What stands out most is that women are leading this charge. The report shows that women between 18 and 45 represent the largest demographic of resale participants, both as buyers and sellers.

This means designers must adapt. Clothing is no longer created for a single buyer — it’s designed to live many lives. Durability, timelessness, and reusability are now essential design goals.

The Hidden Factor: Women’s Sizing and Fit

If there’s one frustration that still challenges the resale experience, it’s inconsistent sizing.

FASHION Magazine (Lautens, 2025) points out that a U.S. women’s size 12 can vary dramatically between brands — sometimes by several inches at the waist. There are no universal sizing standards, and that inconsistency follows garments into the secondhand market.

• A “medium” jacket from one brand might fit like a “large” in another.

• Buyers rely heavily on seller measurements and reviews to gauge fit.

• Poor sizing information leads to returns, frustration, and unsold items.

For women resellers, this has become both a challenge and an opportunity. Sellers who post accurate measurements and clear fit photos build trust and earn loyal customers.

It’s also a call to designers: fit transparency is the next sustainability frontier. Designing clothes that fit more bodies — and labeling them accurately — could transform how garments move through the recommerce cycle.

Renting and Sharing: The New Luxury

Not every garment needs to be owned forever. Renting has emerged as a new form of sustainable luxury — one that prioritizes access, experience, and self-expression.

Rent the Runway (RTR) is at the forefront of this shift, allowing women to wear high-end pieces without buying them. Since its founding, RTR has saved millions of gallons of water and prevented thousands of garments from ending up in landfills (Rent the Runway, 2024).

As someone who has used rental services, I understand the appeal. I get to enjoy designer fashion guilt-free — without the commitment or the waste.

Renting is not just about saving money. It’s about redefining ownership.

RTR’s model reflects a mindset shift in modern fashion: style as an experience, not a possession.

Spotlight: Rent the Runway’s Sustainability Strategy

Beyond glamour, RTR is deeply invested in measurable sustainability outcomes.

Key metrics (Rent the Runway, n.d.):

• Over 1.7 million new garment productions displaced since 2010.

• Each rental uses 24% less water, 6% less energy, and 3% fewer emissions than manufacturing new.

• By 2026, RTR aims to use 100% renewable electricity and eliminate single-use plastics in operations.

Why it matters:

• Garments are designed for durability and easy care.

• Each piece circulates between 5 and 20 renters before resale or recycling.

• RTR shows how fashion brands can profit without producing endlessly.

This business model transforms how designers think about longevity — creating pieces meant to endure and evolve.

H&M’s Recommerce Revolution

Even global fast fashion giants are evolving. H&M, once criticized for overproduction, has become a surprising leader in corporate recommerce.

• In March 2023, H&M launched “Pre-Loved”, a resale program in partnership with ThredUp’s Resale-as-a-Service platform (H&M Group, 2024).

• The program includes women’s, kids’, and sportwear, plus limited-edition designer collaborations.

• Since 2013, H&M’s garment collection program has gathered more than 172,000 tons of used textiles for resale or recycling.

• In Europe, H&M owns a majority stake in Sellpy, one of the continent’s leading secondhand platforms.

Why this matters:

• H&M’s scale brings resale into the mainstream.

• Women drive participation on both ends — donating, reselling, and re-buying.

• Designers now work within circular systems, ensuring materials hold up for multiple lifecycles.

To me, H&M’s shift signals something powerful: even fast fashion brands are realizing sustainability isn’t optional. It’s the future of relevance.

What This All Means for Women and Fashion’s Future

The rise of recommerce is more than a trend — it’s a cultural reset. It’s changing not just how we shop, but why.

For consumers: Fashion is now democratic. We can buy, sell, rent, and restyle within our budgets and values.

For designers: Longevity, accurate sizing, and recyclability define good design.

For brands: Circularity is a business strategy, not a buzzword.

What inspires me most is that this transformation is woman-led. From startups to global brands, women are driving fashion toward a smarter, more sustainable model.

“Fashion’s future isn’t fast — it’s circular. And women are designing it, one secondhand piece at a time.”

References

Baker, L. (2024, September 30). Vintage shopping is booming. Banana Republic and others get in on the action. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/30/business/vintage-shopping-booming-banana-republic.html

Business of Fashion. (2023, October 10). Why secondhand fashion is booming among Gen Z women.https://www.businessoffashion.com/

Depop. (2023). Our community and impact. https://www.depop.com/about/

H&M Group. (2024). Garment collecting and recycling. https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/sustainability-hm/services/garment-collecting.html

Lautens, A. (2025, January 21). Clothing sizes are more inconsistent than ever. FASHION Magazine.https://fashionmagazine.com/style/vanity-sizing/

Rent the Runway. (2024). Sustainability impact report. https://www.renttherunway.com/

Rent the Runway. (n.d.). Impact strategy & sustainability. https://www.renttherunway.com/impact

ThredUp. (2024). 2024 Resale Report: The Future of Fashion is Circular. https://cf-assets-tup.thredup.com/resale_report/2024/ThredUp_2024_Resale%20Report.pdf