Second-hand clothing consumption as a driver of circular economy: review, synthesis and research agenda

Purpose – Collaboration between the fashion brands and consumers can advance a circular economy and promote cleaner products through second-hand clothing (SHC). As a sustainable alternative to fast fashion, SHC consumption has gained attention for reducing waste, encouraging social responsibility and providing economic benefits. To gain a thorough understanding of this field, our review study analyzed and synthesized the research. Design/methodology/approach – This systematic literature review analyzed 96 articles from 2012 to 2024, retrieved from the Scopus database using SPAR-4-SLR protocol. The extant literature was then synthesized using Theory, Context, Method (TCM) and Antecedents, Decision, Outcome framework. Findings – The results consolidated various theories, contexts and methods used in past research. Additionally, findings present an integrated framework exploring the relationships between SHC and seller characteristics, decision processes and behavioral outcomes, summarizing the antecedents, decisions and outcomes. Originality/value – Given the limited understanding of SHC consumption and related marketing measures in the existing literature, this review study is the most updated, identifying gaps in the field, presenting a comprehensive future research agenda with theoretical as well as practical implications for fashion brand managers.