It could sell like hotcakes, but it remains THE forgotten second-hand item.
The second hand suffered from countless taboos a few years ago. During “for a long time, it was not the expression of a choice, but the indication of a deprivation.”* In the collective imagination, it was then synonymous with “need” or even “shame.” These clichés were, for the most part, swept aside in the 2000s. Associations like The Salvation Army and environmental activists have in fact given the world of vintage all its current legitimacy, relieving it of its “image of poverty” to decorate it with“a shared belief or claimed possibility.”
Even more, second hand is now glamorized by fashionistas in search of rare pieces – to such an extent that a handful of specialists even go so far as to speak of gentrification. Despite these advances, reluctance still remains in society. Thus, one category of clothing is still struggling to find its way into second hand: lingerie.
If panties or other underwear are put on sale on Vintedthey are having a hard time finding a buyer, despite the sellers’ attempts to reassure their potential buyers. Among the underwear ads seen on the application, many of them mention the fact of not having “never worn” the part in question or “only once, no more.” A seasoned Vintie tells us: “I buy a lot second hand but lingerie, impossible. I can’t, I have a blockage. In my mind, it’s not hygienic.”
Paradoxically, sportswear and especially swimwear, which could suffer from the same clichés, do not have the same difficulties selling. Contacted by the editorial staff, the founders of Jaiioa premium second-hand fashion service, explain it as follows: “We see that swimsuits sell very well second hand, when they are new or in excellent condition. Customers seem much more comfortable with this category, probably because it is already culturally associated with a ‘seasonal piece’, less intimate in the collective imagination.”
A market which could nevertheless bring big returns to the wallet and to the planet: according to the figures put forward by RECa French company specializing in the recycling of polyamide, “19,000 tons of lingerie and tights” are thrown away every year by French consumers.
On Jaiioa “lingerie” category exists, of course, but “it remains quite niche today. This is mainly explained by our selection policy: we only accept new parts with labels in this category, for obvious reasons of hygiene, quality and customer reassurance.” Among the said pieces, high-end underwear: bras Livy at €50, nighties La Perla Or Lise Charmel at around €60, bodysuit Dior at 120 €…
But even new and checked upstream by the platform’s experts, they have difficulty selling, the founders admit: “Lingerie remains a blind spot for second-hand goods. Customers still think very little about reselling it or giving it a second life. We believe there is real potential for some of these very premium pieces, new or never worn, particularly pieces purchased in the wrong size, received as a gift or never used.” In an era where every euro is counted, will lingerie soon be the new El Dorado for vintage aficionados? The debates are open!
*NAÏT MAZI, Maurane, Second hand, a new economy of objectsEdition Les Pérégrines, 2026
