Sweet charity

The recycling of household items, goods, clothing, and donations of food, have for a long time played a crucial role in keeping charities afloat.

Jiang Shujie is the chief executive officer of Buy42, a charitable organization founded in 2010, which operates 14 charity stores in Shanghai and sells donated goods at 30 to 70 percent below market prices.

She believes the secondhand goods market is an indication of a healthy developed economy.

"The popularity of secondhand purchases is also linked to economic development — as basic needs are met and material accumulation increases in developed countries, a prosperous secondhand market emerges from the surplus goods," she said.

After running the charity for the past seven years, Jiang said she had seen customers go from doubting the safety and hygiene of previously owned items to viewing purchasing secondhand goods as a "cool trend".

This is driven by Generation Z's pursuit of high-end goods originally priced out of their reach, which they can now afford as secondhand purchases. It also aligns with their pursuit of unique, sustainable goods at affordable prices.

The prevalence of green consumption among Chinese people has helped propel the secondhand goods sector into a period of rapid development. However, due to the nature of secondhand transactions, trust issues — such as the authenticity of goods — remain core factors in determining how far the industry can go.

"Secondhand trading platforms play a crucial role in establishing trust — acting as a bond between buyers and strangers," Jiang said. "A high level of trust is required for consumers to accept purchasing and using secondhand goods with potential flaws from unknown previous owners. The value of these platforms lies in facilitating trust for the secondhand market to operate."

However, from a positive perspective, Jiang said such platforms satisfy diverse needs — from trading secondhand luxury items to connecting communities with shared interests.

She believes that platforms like Buy42 provide "low-barrier" public welfare opportunities by recycling secondhand and unused items.