Written by Hannah Westwood
Welcome to this part of our slow fashion series! We will be bringing you a range of blog posts on how to cut down on fast fashion without missing out on buying clothes. If you missed our other posts in this series, you can check them out here! As always, the most sustainable things you can wear are the clothes you already own. However, cutting down on fast fashion does not mean you have to stop buying new (or pre-loved) clothes entirely. This series will cover our favourite ways and top tips for cutting down on fast fashion whilst still being able to buy some clothes. Remember though, even when buying clothes in a more sustainable way, you should think about how much wear you will get out of an item - if you are only going to wear it once, do you really need to buy it? Can you borrow it from a friend or make do without?
Today’s post is about Depop. We’re sure you’ve heard about Depop by now as it is a very popular clothes selling marketplace, so this post will focus more on tips and tricks for using Depop. Firstly though, in case you don’t know, Depop is a buying and selling app and website. It is best known for buying and selling clothes and shoes, but you can also find a lot of homeware, books, electronics and more on it. The majority of things are second hand, so you can usually get them for a good price. As well as people selling their unwanted items, Depop is also home to small businesses selling anything from vintage to upcycled to handmade items. As a solution to fast fashion, you can use Depop not only to buy things second hand, but also to sell on items that you don’t use any more to someone who wants them, and prevent them going into landfill whilst making a bit of money.
Tips and Tricks
Depop can be a bit daunting at first, as there is just SO much out there, and it can be hard to find items you like. You are also buying things from different sellers, so this can also be daunting as you might not feel like you can completely trust some sellers. Below are some of my favourite tips for finding items and buying sustainably that I’ve come up with from having used the app. These tips are for buying rather than selling as I don’t sell on Depop, but if you are looking for some good guides, click here and here. Now, on with the tips!
1. Make your searches specific
There are so many items listed on Depop that it can feel impossible to find anything you like at first. The good thing about it is that the search function is very good, so you can find very specific items. If you’re looking for a yellow cropped hoodie, searching for that and filtering by your size will bring up plenty of options. This also means you can be conscious of only buying things you specifically want. If you are trying to browse, you may want to search by brands you like to find items you are interested in.
2. Like, like, like
The more you like, the more the algorithm will recommend items that are suited to your preferences, so if you think an item is nice, give it a like. Do be aware that often when you like an item, the seller may message you asking if you are interested in the item, which may become annoying.
You can also organise items you’ve liked into folders, which can be helpful if you are liking a lot of items and want to keep track of them.
3. Read seller reviews
Seller reviews are a great way to feel more confident about whether the item you are buying will arrive promptly and in the described condition. In my experience, it is uncommon to see sellers with a rating less than 4 stars, so anything lower than this may be cause for concern. If the seller has a lower rating, read the reviews to see what the problems were and decide whether you want to take the risk. Depop combines seller and buyer reviews, so make sure you click through to check that they are a good seller, rather than just a good buyer.
Also make sure to leave reviews to help out the seller and other people!
4. Make offers, but be reasonable
Lots of people will accept offers on Depop, but make sure you are reasonable. Sellers will often state on their profiles whether they will accept offers or not, and most sellers will do an offer or combine shipping if you are buying more than one item from them. From the price you pay for an item, both Depop and PayPal take fees, so sellers are not making the full amount you are paying. It is worth keeping this in mind when making offers on items.
5. Don’t impulse buy
Shopping on Depop can feel a bit like going back on the ASOS or Shein website after a few weeks of avoiding them because you’re trying to cut down on fast fashion and you don’t need new clothes. Coupled with the fact that stuff on Depop is a bit cheaper and you feel better about buying things that are second hand because it’s better for the environment, you might be tempted to order everything in sight!
Remember that buying clothes sustainably is not just about the method you use to get the clothes, but about how much you will use them, whether you really need them and what you do with them after you’ve finished with them. When buying an item from Depop, make sure you consider how much wear or use you will get out of an item.
If you feel like you’re making an impulse purchase, you can like or save the item, and then leave it for a few days to make sure you still want the item as much as you originally did. Of course, you run the risk of someone else buying an item. You can always search to see if the same item is available from other sellers in case it does go, or decide that if someone else buys it then it wasn’t for you.
6. Be aware of new clothes
One thing to keep an eye on is that some sellers will be selling items which are new. They may be selling new items because they have never worn them or they missed the deadline for returning an item ordered online. In this case, you can decide whether you want to buy the item, thinking about how much you will wear the item and whether you are saving something from going to landfill. However, there are also Depop shops which sell only new clothing, and buying from these shops may be considered buying fast fashion. A big thing to look out for when an item is new is whether it is being sold in multiple sizes, and whether all the other items on that page are new.
Two helpful acronyms to look out for are BNWT (brand new with tags) and BNWOT (brand new without tags). These can help you to identify when an item is new, and therefore whether you want to avoid buying it or not.
Pros
The search function is very advanced, so you can find specific items, even those that you have seen in shops recently but want to buy second hand
Something for everyone - with so much listed on the website you are bound to find things you like even if you have to wade through a lot of things
Easy to use and you can pay in-app
Protection from Depop and PayPal if an item doesn’t arrive or isn’t as described and you’re not able to resolve the issue with the seller
Cons
Most sellers do not accept returns, so sales are final - you will need to think about what you will do if the item does not fit, many opt to resell ‘repop’ on Depop
It can be hard to find things that are your style, as so much is listed on the site
You are buying from an individual seller, so the item may not be as described
Popular items can sell quickly so you may need to be quick to secure something if you really like it
Some sellers use Depop as a shop, selling new items which can be hard when trying to avoid fast fashion or new clothes
Overall Conclusion
Depop is such an easy app to use and great for those who are looking to start reducing their consumption of fast fashion, as there are plenty of people selling current styles from popular fast fashion brands such as ASOS, Shein and Boohoo. It also shows just how easy it is to buy second hand and still find clothes you can love. Depop is the perfect app to use to help you stick to your goals for Second Hand September and beyond!
*Plan-It Change is not affiliated with Depop and the opinions stated in the article are those of the author*
Comments