has gone mainstream, with more than three in four Australians now buying second-hand. In fact, Australia’s second-hand market, covering everything from clothing, electronics, furniture, and cars, is worth around $46 billion and just keeps growing. As an occasional buyer and seller of second-hand fashion, I’ve been watching the trend with interest. The shift towards thrifting (a more circular economy) seems like a win-win – good for consumers, brands, and the planet. Keeping products in circulation for longer and diverted from being recycled or worse, landfill has a huge and positive impact on the planet. But not everyone’s buying into it. Has thrifting and reselling become so popular because we simply buy too much in the first place?  The combination of cheap and accessible products, relentless marketing that promotes the idea that new purchases bring happiness, planned obsolescence encouraging frequent replacements, and the convenience of online shopping fostering impulsive buying has created a cycle of excessive consumption and disposal over the past few decades. Not all so-called ‘pre-loved’ items being resold have been loved – or stopped sparking ‘joy’. They’ve been impulse purchases that haven’t seen much use. You see many items being resold still have their tags attached or in their original packaging.  Moreover, aside from older vintage or high-end items, many resold products are poorly made or crafted from cheap materials, resulting in a short second life. Online platforms like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, Depop, and Carsales are not the only ones cashing in on this trend. Big-name retailers are now getting in on the act with trade-in programs and refurbished goods. Apple has its Trade-In program, Ikea has its “As-Is” section, and local brands like The Iconic, Country Road, Officeworks, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys and Booktopia are all reselling unwanted purchases.  But at the end of the day, whether you’re buying second-hand or brand-new, you’re still buying and consuming. It’s no wonder “Slow Consumption,” which is resisting this fast-paced, wasteful consumer culture is starting to gain traction.  Like the Slow Food movement, Slow Consumption values quality, robust goods that are built to last, emphasising sustainability, and local craftsmanship. The movement advocates investing in repairable items, supporting local jobs, and reducing our reliance on cheaply made, disposable products.  British menswear designer Patrick Grant weighs in on this in his recent book, Less: Stop Buying So Much Rubbish: How Having Fewer, Better Things Can Make Us Happier.  Grant argues that by buying less and better, people not only contribute positively to the planet, local industries and communities but also to their well-being. This slower approach isn’t only limited to small and local cottage industries, large global brands are embracing the ethos too.  Patagonia famously ran an ad during Black Friday telling consumers not to buy its jacket unless they truly needed it. Nudie Jeans encourages customers to ‘Create Tomorrow’s Vintage,’ highlighting that jeans improve with age and promoting their free jean repair service for life. Another Swedish brand, Asket with its ‘The Pursuit of Less’ focuses on selling classic pieces that don’t go out of style encouraging customers to invest in items they can wear for years rather than following fleeting trends. And Buy Me Once is a US and UK online marketplace that promotes only high-quality, durable items that are designed to last a lifetime.  While thrifting has many positive aspects and deserves recognition, the real challenge lies in slowing our consumption — whether we’re buying new or second-hand. We need to be more mindful, purchase less and opt for better quality. Invest in products that are designed to last and can be repaired.  Personally, I have been guilty of buying too much in the past – certainly from Uniqlo. But I’m trying to be better, buying less and buying better quality. In the short term, we’ll pay more but in the long term, we (consumers, the people who make fashion, communities and the planet) will all be richer.