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<p>This study examines structural shifts in Korea’s post-consumer clothing economy from 2019 to 2023, focusing on clothing market size, clothing waste generation, secondhand clothing (SHC) transactions, and global SHC trade. Using exploratory time-series techniques and reduced-form multiple linear regression models, the study quantifies key trends, identifies structural associations, and assesses the impact of clothing waste and trade flows on the domestic SHC market. The findings show: (1) a long-term increase in clothing waste (CAGR: 17.7%) despite year-to-year volatility; (2) rapid and consistent growth in SHC transactions (CAGR: 27.6%), indicating increased reuse activity; (3) moderate growth in overall clothing consumption; and (4) declining SHC exports and imports, indicating reduced reliance on foreign reuse systems. Correlation and regression analyses suggest that clothing waste is more associated with the dynamics of the SHC market than with global trade. These results reflect Korea’s transition from an export-oriented, disposal-based model toward a domestically embedded circular economy. Despite the limitations of the small dataset, this study offers hypothesis-generating insights. It provides a foundation for future study on the post-consumer clothing pathway, paving the way for the implementation of a circular economy. </p>

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Structural shifts in the Republic of Korea’s post-consumer clothing economy

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月22日

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  • Jungmi Oh

摘要

This study examines structural shifts in Korea’s post-consumer clothing economy from 2019 to 2023, focusing on clothing market size, clothing waste generation, secondhand clothing (SHC) transactions, and global SHC trade. Using exploratory time-series techniques and reduced-form multiple linear regression models, the study quantifies key trends, identifies structural associations, and assesses the impact of clothing waste and trade flows on the domestic SHC market. The findings show: (1) a long-term increase in clothing waste (CAGR: 17.7%) despite year-to-year volatility; (2) rapid and consistent growth in SHC transactions (CAGR: 27.6%), indicating increased reuse activity; (3) moderate growth in overall clothing consumption; and (4) declining SHC exports and imports, indicating reduced reliance on foreign reuse systems. Correlation and regression analyses suggest that clothing waste is more associated with the dynamics of the SHC market than with global trade. These results reflect Korea’s transition from an export-oriented, disposal-based model toward a domestically embedded circular economy. Despite the limitations of the small dataset, this study offers hypothesis-generating insights. It provides a foundation for future study on the post-consumer clothing pathway, paving the way for the implementation of a circular economy.