越來越多的消費者選擇購買二手衣物，他們認為這樣做更環保。這種購物習慣的改變也在迫使時尚行業發生改變。本文討論消費者應如何減少自己的時尚碳足跡。

詞匯：fashion 時尚

The destructive impact of fast fashion on the environment is widely documented. So how can we, as consumers, reduce our fashion footprint? One obvious answer is to buy less. Another is to buy clothes that have been more sustainably made, using organic and recycled materials. Hiring clothes is another way to get new pieces for our wardrobe. But buying second-hand may be the simplest solution and a trend that is growing fast.

According to the Boston Consulting Group, second-hand clothes are projected to make up 27 per cent of customers’ wardrobes by 2023. By 2030, the second-hand clothing market is projected to be twice the size of fast fashion, according to a global report by Thredup and GlobalData. So, it seems, the next ten years will see the resale market grow fast, and this is in part because we now have more options than simply buying from charity shops and jumble sales. Online sites are making it easier to both buy and sell pre-loved items.

It also helps that the perception of pre-loved clothing has changed. Dr Amna Khan, senior lecturer in consumer behaviours and retail at Manchester Metropolitan University, said ‘it’s now become trendy to wear second-hand’ and it’s no longer ‘a case of only buying it if you can’t afford anything else’. The changing values of shoppers is even being seen in celebrity culture, with television personalities, such as contestants on the popular UK TV show Love Island, promoting second-hand clothing.

Not everyone is convinced that these changes in shopping habits will do enough to reduce our fashion footprint. The charity Wrap tells people to repair and revamp clothes they already have in their wardrobe before buying new ones, even if they are second-hand. But it’s clear that some consumers now want to consume less and make more environmentally friendly choices when they do buy. The fashion industry is therefore having to change, and the second-hand market is the star of the show.

詞匯表

destructive impact on 破壞性的影響
consumer 消費者
fashion footprint 時尚碳足跡
sustainably 可持續地
hire (an item) 租用，租借
wardrobe 衣柜，衣櫥
trend 趨勢
project (v) 預計
fast fashion 快速時尚
resale market 二手市場
charity shop 慈善商店
jumble sale 舊貨義賣
pre-loved item 二手物品
retail 零售
trendy 時髦的
value (n) 觀念
celebrity culture 名人文化
repair 修補
revamp 修改，翻新

測驗與練習

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. Is buying second-hand the only solution to reducing our fashion footprint?

2. True or False? By 2030, fast fashion will be half the size of the second-hand clothing market.

3. Before buying online, where did consumers go to buy second-hand clothes?

4. True or False? People now only buy second-hand if they can’t afford anything else.

5. Who is causing the change in shopping habits – the consumer or the fashion industry?

2.  選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. In my family we grow our own fruit and vegetables to live more _______.

widely                sustainably                      trendy                  consumer

2. It’s going to snow tomorrow, _______ the weather forecast.

impact on          widely documented         according to         perception

3. It is true that women _______ less than forty per cent of people working in science?

revamp              project                             make up               destructive impact on

4. Toby has his own style. He doesn’t care what’s _______ at the moment.

trendy                trend                                value                    fashion footprint

5. My mother wasn’t _______ when I told her I had finished my homework.

promoted           convinced                        repaired                revamped

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。 

1. Is buying second-hand the only solution to reducing our fashion footprint?
No, other possible solutions are: buying less, buying clothes that have been more sustainably made, hiring clothes, and repairing and revamping clothes.

2. True or False? By 2030, fast fashion will be half the size of the second-hand clothing market.
True. By 2030, the second-hand clothing market is projected to be twice the size of fast fashion.

3. Before buying online, where did consumers go to buy second-hand clothes?
Charity shops and jumble sales.

4. True or False? People now only buy second-hand if they can’t afford anything else.
False. The perception of second-hand clothing has changed and it’s become trendy.

5. Who is causing the change in shopping habits – the consumer or the fashion industry?
The consumer. Consumers want to consume less and make more environmentally friendly choices when they buy, so the fashion industry is having to change.

2.  選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. In my family we grow our own fruit and vegetables to live more sustainably.

2. It’s going to snow tomorrow, according to the weather forecast.

3. It is true that women make up less than forty per cent of people working in science?

4. Toby has his own style. He doesn’t care what’s trendy at the moment. 

5. My mother wasn’t convinced when I told her I had finished my homework.