A growing number of women are selling their preloved goods and making decent amounts of money to help with their everyday life costs.
Australians on average spend about $500 per month on discretionary items which xjmtzywincludes clothing.
But as the cost of living increases, more women have turned to their wardrobes to make some extra money and support their livelihoods.
Sydney resident Maddison Maguire uses the $350 she makes per month to help pay her rent and go out with friends.
The 22-year-old, who sells her goods through the Depop app, said she was surprised at how quickly people purchased preloved clothes through the platform.
“I wanted a bit of extra money and be a bit more sustainable with my shopping by selling something (first) and then buying something – not just hoarding a lot of clothes,” she said.
“It is the way of the future. It makes sense that people wouldn’t want to pay full price for a high end piece of clothing if you can get it second hand and still in a new condition.”
Claire Cunliffe, 40, began selling her clothes at monthly marketplaces and stalls four years ago and is now making up to $400 a month.
The Brisbane resident says she now bought more preloved goods than new clothes, which she finds “more fun”.
She believes the market isn’t too saturated and more people are willing to buy second-hand goods because it is better for the environment.
“While it’s not full-time work yet, I would absolutely love for it to eventually get there … I enjoy doing it,” Mrs Cunliffe said.
“I always knew there were people out there that realised there was money literally hanging in their wardrobes and would want to sell their clothes.
“I still have a lot of clothes in my wardrobe to sell that are new with tags still on them but are a size small.”
Kate Reddin, 43, is selling some of her clothes through Facebook marketplace with her 13-year-old.
The Melbourne mother says the experience helps the pair bond and offers valuable lessons along the way.
“It’s taught them about the commercial aspects of buying and selling and sustainability,” Ms Reddin says.
“It’s something nice we can do together and teaches them to communicate with people they don't know, keeping safety in mind … and understanding in real time the value of things and how money works.
“They have definitely got a taste for the success and their saving goals are becoming a little more grand – they are already talking about their first car.”
According to rental dress website GlamCorner, Australia is the second highest consumer of textiles in the world, with the average woman buying 27kg of new clothes, but throwing away 23kg each year. According to GlamCorner’s research, they only wore 33 per cent of their wardrobe.
Despite these “shameful” statistics, Australian Retailers Association (ARA) chief Paul Zahra says more consumers recognised the impact their discarded clothes had on the environment, so more people embraced more sustainable options.
He said there had been a dramatic shift in consumer behaviour in recent years, with people being more values-driven with their shopping.
“Consumers resonate more strongly with the brands that reflect the social and environmental issues that are important to them, so issues like sustainability are growing in importance for businesses in terms of their customer relationships,” Mr Zahra says.
“We’re seeing more and more fashion retailers take proactive steps towards the circular economy of the future, which is pleasing to see.
“Consumers are also starting to think differently about their fashion choices and are reusing items where they can, rather than buying a new outfit to only wear once before discarding it to the back of the wardrobe.”
Fashion designer Leina Broughton says more women are cutting down on frivolous spending, with many questioning what was essential, opting to source quality pieces that last.
“The best way to get the most out of your wardrobe is a capsule wardrobe that can take you from the desk to dinner and work to the weekend,” she says.
