If Led Zeppelin taught us anything with their cryptic 1971 hit “Stairway to Heaven,” it’s that heaven cannot be bought, only earned in discovering the power of community — and also rock ‘n’ roll. In a world polluted with greed, grief and, well, pollution, these music legends may be proud that at least now humanity seems united in the hope that we are on an upward trend. (I’m scared to ask, but, seriously, how much lower can we go?) Everyone faces different obstacles in achieving an idyllic life, and too often one person’s prized paradise jeopardizes another’s wellbeing. When the privilege of shopping is misused, it has devastating impacts on the environment and livelihood of millions.
So, if your heaven includes super cute clothes, I bring bittersweet news: There is a place that offers what you’re looking for, but it’s not without its faults.
Depop is an online marketplace where fashion fanatics can buy secondhand and handmade clothes directly from sellers. The platform has made (more) sustainable shopping accessible, affordable and fun. Navigating the app and website is easy, even when seeking very specific items. On the hunt for a midi skirt I saw on Pinterest, Depop’s highly-customizable filters blessed me with an exact match — for $20 less than the original.
The financial component to buying from online reseller services like Depop is among the most alluring. Clothes are cheaper than they would be from larger online retailers. And, while quality can be difficult to determine from any online source, more often than not sellers reflect any flaws in their photos. Still, smart shopping is a learned skill — but what better place to learn than a cheap alternative marketplace?
Another skill worth knowing is how to dress. Depop caters to the stylish. Individuality grows here, offering refuge from the cookie-cutter outfits sometimes seen on campus. No disrespect, but if you can afford $100 leggings and a Northface jacket, you can also afford to shop for items that expand your fashion choices beyond what everyone else wears. Dressing uniquely often means wearing thrifted pieces. And, for Oregon students inclined to dress with all the individual flair of a rockstar, Depop is the place for you. With everything from cowboy boots to band T-shirts, the app is a goldmine for shopaholics. But, as someone on the stairway to sustainability, I have to acknowledge that not all that glitters is gold.
Textile employees usually workbetween 14 and 16 hours a day, according to the Clean Clothes Campaign, with no ventilation, inhaling toxic chemicals in unsafe buildings. Well-known brands like Zara; Forever 21; UO’s favorite donor, Nike and more, all exploit and abuse this industry’s workers. Depop may not be at fault for these fast-fashion-induced working conditions that over 80 million people endure daily, but does it really alleviate the issue?
The issue of overconsumption calls for individuals to make more informed and socially responsible decisions on their clothing purchases. It’s not difficult to determine if you are buying clothes out of necessity, especially when the answer is usually no. While Depop cannot be held liable for the culture of wasteful consumerism so rampant in our country, shopping en masse anywhere contributes to destruction caused by overconsumption. According to Newsweek-sourced research from the Environmental Protection Agency, the volume of clothing thrown out in America has doubled in the last 20 years from 7 million to 14 million tons; this is where apps like Depop become valuable on the path toward more ethical and eco-conscious shopping.
Depop sellers often pull from their own closets, and one person’s trash can quite literally become another’s treasure. Senior Tatum Mundy started her Depop with this in mind. Mundy found this platform perfect for selling clothes she doesn’t wear enough to others with similar fashion interests.
“I’ve always had an eye for thrifting,” Mundy said. “I love being able to find one-of-a-kind pieces and [sell ones from] my own closet, too.”
There is something remarkable about finding a pre-loved clothing piece –– and something even more special is knowing your own clothes can be passed down to others instead of becoming trash. Depop has made online shopping an experience that unites buyers and sellers through a shared love for clothes, and it has done so without enforcing unethical living conditions.
Still, there remains environmental concerns in shipments. The shipping industry is responsible for more than 18% of air pollution and contributes to water, noise and oil pollution, as well. Depop is currently working on their two-year sustainability plan which aims to become carbon-neutral by the end of 2021. The company seems to hold individual sellers accountable through educational resources, but there are many secondhand alternatives to Depop that can be found locally. Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp and thrift stores all sell used clothes waiting to be loved without the environmental costs of shipping.
Much to the Earth’s dismay, escaping the evils of materialistic greed is no easy feat. But neither is writing what is commonly referred to as one of the greatest rock songs of all time, and Led Zeppelins’ Robert Plant and Jimmy Page managed to do that. The slow burn song erupts into flames in the last verse, which many believe is the concluding message. Annotators at Genius explain the punchline as this: “Get as many people as you can to see the beauty in the better angels of our nature.” I can only hope that others see the beauty of shopping secondhand before our planet burns up like a Zeppelin song.
Depop is a great transition for college students seeking to become more environmentally and ethically conscious shoppers in an affordable and fashionable way. Shopping from larger retailers may seem preferable because it’s what you’ve always done, but using Depop is an easy step toward becoming a smarter, kinder shopper. In a perfect, heavenly world, no one would suffer just so you can have a closet to kill for. Making that world a reality is just a stairway away.