The Rise of Second-Hand Fashion in Hong Kong: Challenges and Opportunities Amid a Growing Market

Once dismissed as "dead people’s clothes" and shunned for their supposed bad luck, second-hand fashion in Hong Kong has undergone a transformation. The younger generation, driven by a mix of sustainability consciousness and a love for unique styles, has shattered this long-standing stereotype, giving rise to a thriving thrifting culture. Today, vintage finds and pre-loved gems are no longer taboo but celebrated as a fusion of practicality and personal expression. As the city embraces this global shift, second-hand fashion is not only rewriting narratives but also carving out a new space in Hong Kong’s dynamic retail landscape.

With sustainable fashion gaining global traction, Hong Kong is gradually addressing the urgent need for change. According to 2021 data from the Environmental Protection Department, the city discarded 404 tonnes of textile waste daily, representing 3.6% of municipal solid waste. Yet, less than 1% of these textiles were recovered for recycling, reflecting a substantial shortfall in sustainability efforts.

Despite limited public awareness, the second-hand clothing market is growing, buoyed by the entry of international players like Japan's second-hand retail chain, 2nd Street, set to launch locally. A survey by Uniqlo and the School of Fashion and Textiles found that 90% of respondents in Hong Kong expressed a willingness to recycle clothing, signaling a potential shift in consumer attitudes.

Three second-hand shop owners shared their visions for the evolving fashion landscape in Hong Kong:

Retrovert: expands from online platform to physical store in Mong Kok

Tiffany Wong, founder of Retrovert, started the online thrifting platform in 2019 and expanded it to a physical store in a Mong Kok shopping mall two years later. As an anthropology student, Wong was motivated by her awareness of environmental issues and waste colonialism since university. "I wanted to make them relevant to people's everyday lives," she said.

Initially, the shop focused on a more artsy or cultural aesthetic, as that was the trend back then. However, that crowd has since fallen out of favour. "Running a second-hand clothing store is still about being a fashion store, so we have to adapt and observe changes in the trade," Wong said. Currently, the focus has shifted towards Japanese styles and casual wear, catering to university students and graduates entering the workforce.

The brand is now one of the most prominent local thrifting platforms in Hong Kong. Back in 2019, the idea of sustainable fashion was barely seen in the city, but Wong began branding and reselling used clothes by restyling them. "I feel like we were among the first movers in this space, which gave us a unique edge early on," she said. She believes that's why they successfully built a community with many loyal customers.

Transitioning from online to a physical store during COVID-19 was a big step. "We were approached by a shopping mall in Mong Kok," Wong explained. She was told the mall had many vacant units due to the pandemic and wanted to attract new businesses. "They were looking for opportunities to revitalize the area and offered us a short-term pop-up store for three months," she added.

"We thought, why not give it a try? Even if we lost some money, it would be a small amount, so we decided to give it a shot," Wong said. She believed physical stores could become a channel for customers to experience the products in real life. "Some people were unsure about sizing or wanted to verify the quality beyond the beautiful photos online."

She described the change as a milestone. "It was a good opportunity, and we were happy to take it."

However, there was a downturn in the customer base after the reopening of the border following the pandemic. "Before the immigration wave in 2020, we had a regular customer base," she recalled. A significant number of Hongkongers have left due to social unrest in recent years. "But now they've moved on, and I feel like I don't have the same level of connection with customers as I did before," she said.

She described the community as fragmented now, as many people with strong values or higher expectations for their lives have left, reflecting the changing face of Hong Kong. "And it's difficult to attract new customers, which is a challenge for me," she added.

From her perspective, the shift in consumer behavior also brings challenges to the business. "In the past, especially around 2019, more people were drawn to value-driven consumption. They were willing to pay a premium for products that aligned with ethical values or sustainability. But now, there's a noticeable shift toward cost-effectiveness. People are more focused on getting value for money, prioritizing practicality over ideals," she said, citing the example of more Hongkongers traveling to mainland China for shopping and dining.

Greenies: A physical consignment store in Kwun Tong

Jimmy founded Greenies, a physical second-hand clothing shop located in Kwun Tong, a bustling industrial district in Hong Kong, in 2021. He and his friends started the sustainable fashion business because of their personal overspending on clothes; they began by selling their own items.

Three years later, they have developed the business into a consignment shop, aiming to provide a physical platform for consumers to buy and sell pre-loved items. "We realized that there are serious problems of over-waste of clothes in Hong Kong. Every Hongkonger may possess a bunch of unused or barely used clothing at home. There is a huge demand for selling used clothes in the city," Jimmy said.

A lack of physical stores also became a factor in establishing Greenies. "Most of the consignment stores in the city are limited to online platforms. And the essence of thrifting is to try on clothes to find a perfect fit, which you cannot do online," he explained.

He further noted that they have set ‘on-list’ items indicating which particular brands they accept. This is designed to limit the volume of clothes received and avoid overflow problems. There are two lines of brands: Luxury—Acne Studios, Burberry, Celine, Hugo Boss, Ganni, etc.—and Mainstream (typically for students)—Zara, Topshop, Love Bonito, Nike, Mango, etc. 

A certain amount of stock can become impossible to shift, though the shop always tries to sell them first. "If they can't be sold for a certain period, we'll consider selling them in the next season or as part of a charity sale," Jimmy said.

"We believe that selling the clothes as they are—original and authentic—is what truly reflects their value," he emphasized. Therefore, if items are worn out or in bad condition, the shop returns them to the sellers, suggesting they consider upcycling, repurposing, or donating them.

With an increasing number of second-hand shops being established in Hong Kong, Jimmy believes the market will continue to grow, citing the launch of 2nd Street as an example. "Investors see potential in this market that they're opening stores. This is a positive development," he said.

However, he also anticipates challenges in the growing market. "Public awareness of sustainable fashion is still at a low level; only a minority of people are actively pursuing second-hand fashion and actively selling their items," he said, calling it "a lack of appreciation and understanding" of second-hand culture. He added that some customers still worry if used clothes were once worn by people who have now died, this might bring bad luck.

Laundryroom.vintage: An online vintage store founded in 2024

Hanson, a photographer, started his vintage clothing business earlier this year when he recognized a growing trend for second-hand vintage culture in Hong Kong but noticed a lack of shops offering Western-style vintage items. "This is the market gap I want to fill," Hanson said.

He observed a lack of competition in Hong Kong, with only a few thrifting shops such as Mee & Gee and The Salvation Army, yet he realized second-hand vintage has become more prominent, with more shops of this kind appearing in the city.

His shop mainly sells Carhartt jackets, vintage Levi's jeans, Ralph Lauren—brands that are popular among customers. "They are bestsellers," Hanson added.

Market reactions have been surprisingly good, reviewing the performance of his online shop on Shopify. "Over the past three months, the response has been very positive. Initially, in the first month or two, there was little audience awareness, and few people knew about the store. But gradually, I saw significant monthly growth, and things started to pick up."

Given that his approach to advertising is very minimal and he is not keen on content creation, he was surprised by the response. "It's clear that the demand is there." As a professional photographer, he took photos of each item and promoted everything on Instagram.

Hanson also hosted a one-day pop-up event at PMQ, which received an amazing response. "Many of my online followers, who had been hesitant to purchase without trying the clothes, came to see the pieces in person. Once they tried the clothes, many made immediate purchases. It really showed me the importance of a physical presence for buyers who are serious about second-hand fashion," he said.

"One thing I found surprising is that even though vintage items often have minor flaws, customers seem to accept this as part of the charm. They understand that small flaws are part of the character of vintage items, and they're okay with it," Hanson concluded.

Japan's 2nd Street to launch in Hong Kong, prompting positive reactions

Japanese chain second-hand vintage store 2nd Street is launching in Hong Kong in March 2025, joining the competition in the city's second-hand clothing market. Local shop owners view it positively rather than as a threat.

Jimmy said the market welcomes 2nd Street coming in, as it promotes second-hand or circular fashion in Hong Kong. "When a major company comes in, people notice their presence, and they may start looking into the second-hand market and see if there are other stores around. I believe they'll find us, so I never see this as competition. It's more of a mutual benefit," he said.

Hanson echoed these views, describing the launch as a confirmation of Hong Kong's market, highlighting the popularization of second-hand culture in the city.

However, some are less optimistic. Tiffany hopes the Japanese company will inspire other shops in the market and fulfill consumers' expectations. "The last thing I want is for people to think, 'Hong Kong's second-hand market is terrible.' Ideally, they would come in and perform well, or if not, quickly withdraw without harming the local scene," she said.

Tiffany also observed a tendency in Hong Kong to admire foreign brands, including Japanese ones, which naturally poses a challenge to local second-hand shops, though she believes the target customers for both might not overlap entirely.

Given that the second-hand market in Hong Kong is still underdeveloped, there's potential for 2nd Street to create new demand.

Is there really a huge threat to small businesses? She doesn't think so. "If small shops were to close down, it wouldn't necessarily be because of them. Most customers supporting local second-hand shops are already loyal and care about these small businesses, which creates some resilience," she said.

Tiffany expressed discontent that the brand may be entering the market only after it has been tested and validated by others. "There's a sense of being undercut, but in a commercial world, this happens in every industry. We just have to accept it.”