Young adults ‘thriftiest’ generation

Britain’s youngest adult demographic, aged 18-24, has been crowned the thriftiest age group when it comes to getting rid of unwanted clothing, shoes and accessories, according to research by the Fashion Retail Academy.

A new study has revealed that those aged 18-24 are the most active at selling their unwanted garments with 22.8 percent selling their clothes via resale apps and 11.9 percent selling to their friends. They are the biggest users of resale apps, with almost a quarter revealing that's how they sell their unwanted items.

The research reveals that older generations are not as savvy, with only 18.4 percent of 25-34-year-olds, 16.8 percent of 35-44-year-olds, 14.9 percent of 45-54-year-olds and 9.5 percent of those aged 55+ selling their clothes using fashion resale apps.

The findings come after the Fashion Retail Academy revealed Brits are sitting on a 4.1 billion pounds of unwanted clothes they ‘can’t be bothered’ to sell or donate.

Lee Lucas, principal at the Fashion Retail Academy, said in a statement: “This study highlights the ongoing move to a more digital world, with Britain’s youngest generation leading the way. The sheer choice of fashion resale apps like Depop, Vinted, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and others, demonstrates the strength of demand for simpler ways of converting unwanted items into cash.

"Convenience is king, and we expect the rapid growth of resale apps to accelerate as digital natives come to dominate every economically active demographic.”