A sustainable “side hustle”

USD students combat fast-fashion (and make money) through Depop

Olivia Hunt / Asst. A&C Editor / The USD Vista

Sustainability has long been an important issue to USD students, many of whom have successfully advocated for the university to strengthen its Climate Action Plan and other green initiatives. 

Now, some USD students are shifting their attention to one of the most wasteful and environmentally damaging industries: fast-fashion. The term fast-fashion refers to inexpensive, topical clothing items that are constantly churned out to meet consumer demand and accommodate rapidly changing trends. 

According to the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion, fast-fashion was responsible for 8-10% of global carbon emissions in 2019, which constitutes a larger carbon footprint than that of all international flights and maritime shipping combined. Another worrisome statistic is that the fashion industry’s climate impact is expected to increase 49% by 2030. 

In an effort to mitigate fast-fashion’s massive carbon footprint, some USD students are opting to share and “swap” their clothes, buy and sell second-hand, and support fair-trade brands.

As the pandemic prompted an explosive increase in global internet use, social media platforms and fast-fashion retailers alike have made substantial efforts to blur the lines between social networking and shopping. Instagram and TikTok, for instance, capitalize on new “shopping cart” and e-commerce features to encourage users to purchase clothes and products from big-name retailers. Though many users find such features to be frustrating and distracting, these apps show no signs of reversing their changes. Even the public uproar that ensued over Instagram’s decision to replace its notification tab with a “shopping button” was not enough to make the company revert back to its previous interface. Since it appears that social media’s fueling of fast-fashion is here to stay, many students take note of apps that instead promote sustainable shopping and small businesses. One of the most popular digital hubs for ethical shopping is Depop, a re-sell app with a strong likeness to social media platforms. 

Senior Simmy Chauhan, a longtime seller on the app, offered her opinion on the relationship between social media and fast-fashion, and how Depop can be a force for positive change. 

“I think social media puts pressure on people to always have a fresh wardrobe,” Chauhan said. “Even if our clothes are perfectly fine, a specific T-shirt or dress may feel old to us if we’ve been photographed wearing it several times. Shopping from large retailers perpetuates this cycle of fast-fashion, but being able to buy and sell your clothes second-hand allows you to replenish your wardrobe in a more ethical way.”

Senior Serena Stockton, who started buying and selling on Depop a couple of months ago, noted what first attracted her to the app.

“The main reason I downloaded Depop was to try to practice sustainable shopping,” Stockton said. “It’s known for its great vintage finds and colorful Y2K (late ‘90s and early-to-mid 2000s) pieces, which I’m a big fan of.”

Aside from its appeal to environmentally-conscious shoppers, Depop’s Instagram-like layout is a big draw for its main demographic, Gen Z. Since a whopping 90% of Depop’s users are under the age of 26, the app’s familiar feel makes it easy to navigate for both buyers and sellers. 

Chauhan explained the similarities between Depop’s interface and other user-driven sites. 

“Basically, Depop is a mix of Instagram and eBay,” Chauhan said. “It has a messaging feature similar to Instagram DMs that allows shoppers to contact sellers directly. You can ‘follow’ specific sellers and see trending items through an ‘explore’ page. You’re also able to gauge the popularity of items by the number of ‘likes’ they have.” 

The biggest allure of Depop, however, is its value for money. Since everything is second-hand, students can purchase name-brand or designer items that they may not necessarily be able to afford off-the-rack or through Instagram. 

Chauhan gave an idea of the price differences people can expect when online shopping on the two platforms. 

“Instagram and Depop shopping have totally different price points. Depop is usually around $10-$50, while the standard items I see on Instagram are typically $150 and above.”

Stockton also explained that shoppers on Depop can buy more than just clothes.

“Depop can also be a great way to find anything really,” Stockton said. “I’ve lucked out on finding a few vinyls for my record collection at discounted prices.”

 Though Depop prices tend to be cheaper, the sellers on the app have a large range in earnings. Some of the top sellers on the app even earn up to six figures. Most sellers, however, use Depop as a source of side income, not a full-time job. 

Chauhan expressed why she enjoys selling on Depop, as well as why she’s a frequent buyer on the app. 

“As a student, it’s of course nice to have some extra cash,” Chauhan said. “Even though I end up spending a big portion of what I earn back on Depop, it’s going back to individuals or people with small businesses. It feels good to buy ‘new’ things without feeling guilty.”

It seems that now, more than ever, students are turning to Depop and other resell platforms as a way to help compensate for the ‘throw away’ culture that fast-fashion facilitates. 

The public nature of social media pressures users to present themselves in a positive, favorable light at all times; unfortunately, the fast-fashion industry takes full advantage of this pressure to manufacture and sell new products at an unsustainable pace. Although large corporations bear most of the responsibility for environmental degradation (and likewise the burden of rectifying it), USD students have proven that individuals can certainly make a difference, too.