Students utilize ‘Depop’ app to popularize secondhand clothing
Wendy Wang | Staff Photographer
As she sold through Depop, Kate Regan realized that she shouldn't be buying fast fashion.
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Fredaye Wilkes whipped out her phone and opened up the Depop app to check how long ago she started selling her old clothes.
“36 weeks ago,” the Syracuse University junior said. “So kind of over quarantine.”
Many other students besides Wilkes turned to shopping apps during stay-at-home orders to pass the time, make money and rid their closets of unwanted clothing. The app Depop in particular opened up new doors for younger generations to make some pocket change, especially during the pandemic.
Wilkes said that it’s a nice way for college students to make money from home. The app also gives users the freedom to make their shop as similar to an actual brand as they want to.
Wilkes often leaves handwritten notes in Depop packages she sends out to make her shop feel more like a brand. App users can make their sales as organized and professional as they want to, something she likes.
Depop and other platforms like Poshmark and eBay have also popularized the idea of buying secondhand clothing. As SU junior Kate Regan sold more on Depop, she realized that she shouldn’t be buying fast fashion.
“That’s like the whole point of Depop,” Regan said. “I genuinely only thrift my stuff now.”
SU senior Lily Fineman didn’t want to contribute to the “fast fashion” cycle. Fineman, like many others, became more aware of the environment over the course of the past year and has made changes in her everyday life to do her part. In addition to selling her clothes on Depop, she now buys more clothes on the app so she doesn’t contribute to chain clothing companies that often harm the environment.
In fall 2019, Regan became a campus ambassador.Courtesy of Kate Regan
Many corporate brands promote the fast-fashion cycle by frequently launching new styles. Missguided produces 1,000 new items each month, and Fashion Nova releases between 600 and 900 new styles each week. The production of polyester, which is used in most fast-fashion styles, is the cause of 706 million tons of greenhouse gases each year, according to Vox.
Still, larger brands seem to be hopping on trends of bringing back past styles. In fall 2020, Levi’s launched Levi’s Secondhand, which upcycles old products to bring them into current fashion. Miu Miu also created Upcycled by Miu Miu by taking vintage dresses from the ‘40s through ‘70s and reinventing them for the modern-day consumer.
For Fineman, Depop appealed to her because it is “grungy” and “thrifty,” she said. During quarantine, she noticed that her best friend was making a lot of money through the platform which prompted her to give it a try. And so far, she’s made $4,000.
“It’s insane,” Fineman said. “It’s the best way to clean out your closet because it’s not going in the landfills and you’re making money.”
Shannon Kirkpatrick | Presentation Director
After selling their clothing, students using the platform have the freedom to do whatever they want with their extra cash. Some use it for new clothes, some see it as extra cash, and others said they invest or save. Regan described her smaller sales as her “iced coffee money.”
The layout of Depop is similar to Instagram, Regan said. Users only have to take a photo of the item and set a price for potential customers.
Regan began selling on Depop when she was 15. Her experiences have contributed to her love for the environment. She started selling clothing to make money, but her side hustle developed into a life passion, leading her to minor in environmental studies.
In fall 2019, Depop invited Regan to become a campus ambassador. For the job, she works closely with two other students to hold events, post on social media and promote Depop to other students. With COVID-19 preventing in-person gatherings, Regan and her peers no longer hold events like they used to. And although there are fewer opportunities during the pandemic, she is still an ambassador for Depop.
Regan sold a lot of her listings at the start of quarantine since most people were home with nothing to do, so people just kept buying, she said. As places opened up and students returned to campus, Regan sold less but still consistently sells one to two items per week.
The Depop algorithm is not always consistent, either. Some vendors sell consistently, while others sell in waves. Wilkes has not sold much in a while, but will get an occasional message from a customer wanting to haggle prices or trade items.
Not only has Depop allowed Regan to make some extra money, but her heavy involvement with the brand has changed her style and how she shops. Regan no longer looks for what is considered trendy, as it is no longer her style. Instead, she dresses like an “older person” and thrifts all of her clothing, she said.
“When I was getting rid of clothes, I knew that when you donate things only a certain amount’s being circulated,” Regan said. “I knew if I resold it, it would get another life.”
Published on March 3, 2021 at 9:40 pm
Contact Iseabail: iakelley@syr.edu
