Why 2024 Is a Great Year for Vintage Clothes
Thinking about the recent years, one word comes to mind: extraordinary. Extraordinary for the challenges the world faced throughout it and the experiences we gained by exceeding them. As tough as it was for many across the world, the last couple of years have been for the vintage industry we are proudly a part of. And we don’t just say that because retroiscooler will turn 3 next year – although that’s a fact, too.
One great thing that this pandemic gave people everywhere was time to reflect on what really matters to them. And many looked towards what helps to boost the quality of their lives while decreasing cost, pollution, and clutter.
In 2024, this trend continues to grow and the vintage sector shall benefit from it as well as from other factors and events occurring throughout the year. Let’s have a closer look at the most important ones.
2024 Summer Olympic Games
The Olympics have always been a great source of unforgettable moments in the history of both sports and humanity. Athletes go above and beyond their normal capabilities, creating moments that remain instilled in time. This is true for the winter games just as much as for the more commercially-attractive summer ones. And especially this year, when the event is held in Paris.
What we can all be sure of is the fact that these upcoming Games will be a catalyst for the vintage clothing sector. Regardless if they attend the event in person or not, people the world over shall look for special pieces that send off retro vibes of past Olympic Games editions and feature the quality of those days.
In the light of this special competition, we have curated a collection of vintage Olympics pieces on our website. You can find it here.
People are again travelling and attending sports events
The slow return to a life resembling the ‘normal’ way of living pre-2020 in Europe and the US means fans of sports and travel can again enjoy their passions. Oceans of supporters have long awaited to again take their seats on stadia and arenas around the globe and cheer their favourite teams or players, be those basketball, soccer, tennis or athletics competitions. And this is a big win for the vintage market.
On one hand, sports fans are nostalgic by nature and shall look to purchase and wear those rare pieces that remind them of the times when their favourite team was on top. On the other, travellers will prioritize their trips over spending on clothes and/or footwear, so they will likely choose vintage pieces for their excellent value and quality.
The 2024 European Championship in Germany
This is very much tied in with the previous point. 2024’s high note is the football European Championship. This shall boost spirits of soccer afficionados and sales of vintage football shirts of teams qualified at the tournament as well as of other iconic soccer gear. Favourites, as always, will include Germany, Spain, France, England, and Italy. But we’ve seen surprises before.
More and more people fall in love with vintage
Vintage clothes have a lot of benefits. That’s a fact. And an increasing number of people start to discover those benefits and see the potential of choosing vintage over fast fashion. According to Thredup’s 2021 Resale Report, the “secondhand market is projected to double in the next 5 years, reaching $77B.”
The report continues to say that “resale, the sector of secondhand that includes more curated assortments, is driving the growth.” Reading this, we are proud to see that our online shop is also part of this movement. At retroiscooler.com we hand-pick every item that goes live on our website – because for us quality is much more important than quantity.
Sustainability is key
The environment is no longer a buzz word – it’s a priority. And people have woken up on the fact that the fast fashion industry is a major polluting factor. As a consequence, large numbers of shoppers are switching to vintage clothing to help decrease their carbon footprint. The same Thredup report notes that “buying used instead of new displaces the CO2 emitted from harmful new clothing production. An item purchased used vs. new reduces its carbon footprint by 82%.”
Vintage clothes bring more quality and less pollution to the table. Preloved items reduce the impact fashion has on your wallets and on our planet, without compromising on looks or trends – because quality never goes out of style. Choosing vintage enables you to tell stories about glorious moments in the past while helping the world have a cleaner future. And that’s something we should all focus on from today onwards.
