UK secondhand history：
During the First World War, Britain experienced significant resource shortages and hardships, which led to second-hand clothing becoming a symbol during that period. This phenomenon can be attributed to several factors:
Resource Shortages: The First World War triggered a massive conflict that resulted in a severe shortage of resources, including fabrics and textiles. The wartime production demands placed tremendous pressure on Britain’s textile industry, leading to the diversion of many new clothing materials for military purposes rather than civilian use.
Economic Challenges: During the war, the British economy suffered significant shocks. Factors such as resource shortages, inflation, and reduced employment opportunities made people’s lives more challenging. As a result, people began looking for ways to cut expenses.
Thrift and Sharing: Faced with resource scarcity, a culture of thrift and sharing emerged in society. People began to cherish existing items, including clothing, rather than casually discarding or wasting them. This cultural shift contributed to the popularity of second-hand clothing.
Symbol of Resilience: Second-hand clothing during that period was not just an economic choice; it also carried symbolic significance. It symbolized people’s resilience and perseverance during difficult times and their wise use of resources.
Charity and Donations: To support the war effort, people engaged in charitable activities, including donating second-hand clothing to those in need. This behavior further reinforced the symbolism of second-hand clothing.
In summary, during the First World War, Britain’s resource shortages and economic challenges prompted people to seek ways to save money while emphasizing values of thrift and resilience. As a result, second-hand clothing became a symbol representing people’s strength and collective efforts during difficult times. This symbolism likely took root during that unique historical period and continued to exist.
China secondhand history:
In China, in the 1970s, many people had a lower-class impression of second-hand clothing and believed that they were not socially accepted. This can be attributed to several historical, cultural, and societal factors:
Cultural and Social Beliefs: In traditional Chinese culture, new things are often seen as symbols of good luck and auspiciousness, while old things may be considered to bring bad luck. This cultural belief may influence people’s pursuit of brand new clothing.
Historical Background: The 1970s were a period of significant social and political upheaval in China, including the Cultural Revolution. During this time, people’s social status and identity were often influenced by political views and class backgrounds. Consequently, owning new items could be seen as a symbol of a person’s favorable relationship with the political system.
Supply Shortages: During that era, Chinese society faced shortages of various goods, including food and clothing. As a result, acquiring new items might have been seen as a luxury, while using old items could have been out of necessity rather than choice.
Social Hierarchy Beliefs: Some individuals may have associated clothing with social status, believing that wearing expensive new clothing was a way to elevate one’s social standing, while wearing old clothing might have been seen as a sign of lower social status or financial hardship.
My grandmother was born in 1936, and she experienced World War I and the Cultural Revolution, which were the two significant periods in China and Britain when viewpoints on second-hand clothing began to form, as shown in the reference earlier. Corresponding to the historical context, my grandmother cherishes every piece of clothing she owns. She is now 88 years old, and she can recount every piece of clothing she has worn throughout her life. In her upbringing, she displayed a more frugal and practical attitude. She doesn’t pay much attention to what she wears and prefers to mend and reuse old clothing. This attitude was relatively common in the past Chinese society, especially during times of material scarcity. She also never mentioned the concept of clothing and social hierarchy. In my grandmother’s perception, surviving through life was a stroke of luck, and she only has a primary school education, so she doesn’t understand the concept of environmental sustainability that we talk about today.
My mother was born in 1969, and she did not experience the turbulent periods i mentioned earlier. From my perspective, she is relatively open to new things, but she has told me that she has never purchased second-hand clothing. Her primary reason for this is her concern about the cleanliness of second-hand clothes. This reflects a negative perception of second-hand clothing among some people in China, possibly related to hygiene and sanitary conditions.
Furthermore, she mentioned that textile prices in China are relatively affordable, which might be one of the reasons why she doesn’t feel the need to buy second-hand clothing. However, she is conscious of dealing with second-hand clothing. Unlike the British perspective, where second-hand clothing symbolizes resilience and resourcefulness during difficult times, my mother simply views new clothes as inexpensive but not necessarily suitable for her. She does, however, give away clothes she no longer wears to others, but she prefers to give away new ones. In our conversation, unlike the reference, they did not mention that clothing symbolizes social status. Therefore, this aspect is not reflected in the beliefs of my mother and my grandmother.
This difference in attitude towards second-hand clothing between China and Britain reflects cultural and economic factors, as well as individual preferences and perceptions of cleanliness and value.
