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I often find myself falling prey to the siren-like lure of a particular brand of yoga clothes. Each time this happens, I ask myself, do I need another pair of high-waisted yoga pants? Absolutely not. But one touch of the luxurious, buttery fabric and my resolve crumbles.
Although stylishness is undeniably enticing, the impulsive consumption of fast fashion—characterized by its quick turnover of trendy and often inexpensive clothes—is wreaking havoc not only on our wallets but our planet. The yoga space is no exception.
Although we can’t eliminate fast fashion overnight, each of us can make more conscious decisions about how and where we shop. One of the simplest and least expensive ways to reduce waste is considering secondhand clothes for yoga over brand-new items.
Fast Fashion in the Yoga World
The escalation of yoga practitioners in Western culture, although a boon for mental health, has been a booming contributor to fast fashion. According to Fortune Business Insights, in 2024, the global yoga clothing market was valued at approximately $29 billion and is projected to surpass $55 billion within the next decade.
In the U.S. alone, consumers spend about $48 billion annually on activewear at large. That’s nearly $150 per person. To be fair, these numbers also speak to the cultural shift toward athleisure as everyday wear and not necessarily an adoption of yoga. Although I’d like to imagine that if we were practicing yoga in direct proportion to our accumulation of its clothing, our country would be a much kinder, more compassionate place.
It’s no surprise that this rapid growth comes with environmental and ethical concerns. Fast fashion often leads to overproduction, waste, and questionable labor practices. When applied to yoga, these factors directly contradict some of its founding principles, including the notion of ahimsa (nonharming).
So, what’s a fashion-forward yogi to do? Rely on secondhand clothes.
Why Buying Preloved, Like-New, Secondhand Clothes Matters
Choosing preloved yoga attire delays clothing ending up in landfills and reduces the demand for resource-intensive production. Online fashion resale platforms are making it easier to shop sustainably, as are yoga clothing brands who offer buy-back options or styles made from recycled materials. By shifting our habits, we can help minimize fashion’s environmental impact while still building a functional, stylish wardrobe.
Thanks to these initiatives, there are ample online options that enable you to search for specific items rather than limit yourself to whatever you happen to find at your local thrift store (although that’s still a savvy place to look). All of these options delay clothing from hitting landfills and make high-quality items available at a lower price point.
Where to Buy Secondhand Clothes for Yoga
You can find covetable preloved yoga fashions, whether big brand or no name, at these and other destinations for secondhand clothes.
Girlfriend Collective’s Girlfriend to Girlfriend
Seattle-based Girlfriend Collective promotes a circular fashion economy by enabling customers to buy and sell preowned items with its “Girlfriend to Girlfriend” Program.
Lululemon Like New
Likewise, Lululemon’s “Like New” Section offers a selection of gently used items at reduced prices, ensuring high-quality gear gets a chance at a second life. Before selling, they’re cleaned with a waterless system that conserves energy.
Athleta Preloved
Athleta, the B Corp yoga clothing brand that supports women and girls exploring their adventurous side, also offers preloved fashions in a joint effort with ThredUp. Prices are typically more than half off—and sometimes substantially more.
Nike, Adidas, and Other Athletic Brands
For those loyal to legacy brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Alo, fashion resale platforms such as Vestiaire Collective also provide authenticated secondhand options.
Resale Apps
You can also search Poshmark, ThredUp (which is offering 50% off and free shipping on Earth Day), Mercari (ditto the sale but 10%), eBay, and other resale apps. Caitlin Weese, a yoga instructor and trauma therapist from Maryland, swears by Poshmark, attributing 90 percent of her yoga clothes purchases to the fan fave source for like-new clothes. Her advice? Follow the brands you love so you’re alerted when new listings drop.
Facebook Marketplace
Want to avoid shipping costs? Take a twirl through Facebook Marketplace for used yoga clothes—as well as props and books. If social media hasn’t entirely eroded your interpersonal skills, you might even find a new local yoga community from the interaction.
Thrift Stores & Flea Markets
Pounding the pavement IRL still has its advantages. Namely, you can be surprised at the items that find you. Recent discoveries include a Free People Movement crop tank for $6, Old Navy tanks and leggings galore for $7 and less. You’ll also happen on lesser-known brands, styles, and colors that you might have been tempted to try in the past, but at these prices, there’s far less risk if it doesn’t work out. (You can simply turn around and rethrift them.) Take a friend and make it an afternoon adventure!
