Strut & Style resource
Current U.S. numbers on secondhand fashion, textile waste, household apparel spending, and online shopping, gathered in one citable place.
At a glance
These figures put the resale conversation in context, from the scale of discarded textiles to the way people are spending and shopping today. Every number below includes its reporting year and a direct link to the original source.
17.0M
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated 17.0 million tons of textile waste in 2018. Reuse is not included in that generation estimate.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018 data14.7%
EPA estimated that 2.5 million tons of textiles were recycled in 2018, equal to a 14.7% recycling rate for all textiles.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018 data11.3M
EPA estimated that U.S. landfills received 11.3 million tons of textiles in 2018.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018 data$2,001
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported average 2024 spending of $2,001 per consumer unit on apparel and services, including clothing, footwear, and dry cleaning.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 Consumer Expenditure Survey2.5%
Apparel and services accounted for 2.5% of average annual consumer-unit spending in 2024.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 Consumer Expenditure Survey16.9%
In the first quarter of 2026, U.S. retail e-commerce sales reached $326.7 billion and accounted for 16.9% of total retail sales.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, first quarter 2026$78.8B
ThredUp and GlobalData project the U.S. resale market will reach $78.8 billion by 2030. This is a market forecast, not an official government estimate.
Source: ThredUp 2026 Resale Report, with GlobalData research71%
ThredUp and GlobalData estimate Gen Z and Millennials will drive 71% of resale-market growth through 2030.
Source: ThredUp 2026 Resale Report, with GlobalData researchWhat these figures show
Textile waste is measured in millions of tons, while online buying accounts for a meaningful share of all U.S. retail. At the same time, market research points to continued demand for secondhand fashion, especially from younger shoppers.
For someone building a wardrobe, resale is not just about finding something different. It can be a practical way to make room for character, quality, and a better price in the pieces they actually wear.
Explore Strut & Style’s online thrift storeSources and methodology
Government figures are reported as published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and U.S. Census Bureau. Resale-market projections come from ThredUp’s 2026 Resale Report and are clearly labeled as forecasts based on GlobalData research. Some source data is released with a time lag, so each statistic names the year it measures.
Strut & Style. “Resale Fashion Statistics: U.S. Data and Trends.” Updated August 14, 2026. https://shopstrutandstyle.com/resale-fashion-statistics