世論 What Japan Thinks

I don’t think I’ve ever bought used clothing, not even as a student, although if I were to buy in Japan it would most likely be a used kimono (see Q8). The other markets that I would have guessed would have been popular would be high-end branded items or evening dresses, but this recent survey from DIMSDRIVE Research into used clothes found otherwise. Note that the survey is not just clothes, but also accessories like shoes, bags and belts.

Demographics

Between the 3rd and 18th of September 2008 10,099 members of the DIMSDRIVE monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.1% of the sample were female, 0.9% in their teens, 13.9% in their twenties, 34.5% in their thirties, 30.5% in their forties, 14.8% in their fifties, and 5.4% aged sixty or older.

My clothes budget is on a needs basis only, with my last purchase being a few pairs of socks at the start of the year.

I’m not aware of a similar chain to Oxfam in Japan that will kit out students for pennies, although if any of my readers can enlighten me…

For reference, I translated a similar survey from MyVoice on used items in general earlier this month.

Research results

Q1: About how much per month do you spend on fashion for yourself? (Sample size=10,099)

Under 3,000 yen	38.5%
From 3,000 to 4,999 yen	21.0%
From 5,000 to 9,999 yen	19.5%
From 10,000 to 29,999 yen	11.9%
From 30,000 to 49,999 yen	2.2%
From 50,000 to 99,999 yen	0.6%
100,000 yen or more	0.2%
Don’t know	6.1%

Q2: Do you like to be fashion-conscious? (Sample size=10,099)

Love being	13.6%
Like being	30.5%
Pay some degree of attention to being	42.2%
Dislike being	12.3%
Don’t know	1.4%

Q3: Do you feel reluctance to buy used clothes? (Sample size=10,099)

Don’t feel any reluctance	28.0%
Feel a little reluctance	40.6%
Feel a lot of reluctance	31.4%

Q4: Do you buy used clothes? (Sample size=10,099)

Frequently buy	2.3%
Sometime buy	13.7%
Bought just once or twice	13.1%
Have bought before	13.0%
Never bought (to Q9)	57.9%

On the whole, younger people were more likely to buy second-hand. Similarly, the more spent on clothes, the more often second-hand clothes were bought, and those who were more interested in fashion were also more likely to buy.

Not surprisingly, the people who bought used clothes frequently were much, much less reluctant about buying used clothes.

Q5: How did you first come to buy used clothes? (Sample size=4,260, multiple answer)

Just happened on something I liked that was used	52.0%
Wanted to buy cheap clothes	42.8%
Used clothes were, are in vogue	11.5%
Influence from family, friends, partner	9.8%
Wanted to get something retro	9.7%
Was searching for vintage clothes	5.8%
Out of production items were sold as used	4.2%
Influence from magazine, television, other media	3.0%
Was looking for remade clothes	2.9%
Influence from someone famous	0.8%
Other	2.9%
Don’t know, forgot	6.6%

Q6: Where do you buy used clothes (excluding from friends)? (Sample size=4,260, multiple answer)

Old clothes shop	59.0%
Recycle shop	29.3%
Fleamarket	23.4%
Net auction	19.4%
Internet used clothes shop	8.6%
Ordinary clothes shop	6.0%
Select shop	5.3%
Internet fleamarket	3.5%
Overseas	2.5%
Pawn shop	0.9%
Other	0.6%
Don’t know, forgot	4.2%

Q7: What sorts of items of used clothing do you buy? (Sample size=4,260, multiple answer)

T shirt	35.4%
Denim, jeans	29.4%
Skirt, one piece	23.9%
Jacket	20.7%
Blouse, shirt	20.5%
Clothes made from jersey cloth	18.2%
Bag	16.5%
Coat	16.0%
Trousers	13.5%
Trainers, sneakers	12.8%
Sweater, cardigan	12.5%
Accessory	11.1%
Hat, belt, etc	10.4%
Shoes, boots, sandals	10.2%
Other outer wear	7.4%
Suit	4.3%
Kimono, Japanese accessories	3.1%
Inner wear (corset, petticoat, etc)	0.8%
Other	1.1%
Don’t know, forgot	5.0%

Q8: What are the good things about used clothes? (Sample size=4,260, multiple answer)

Cheap	76.0%
Bargains are to be had	32.7%
Can buy somewhat different clothes	24.4%
Lots of stylish items	17.5%
Has charm	15.8%
High-class brands are sold cheaply	15.0%
Are retro designs	12.7%
Lots of unique items	11.3%
Remade items	7.4%
Can buy items no longer offered new	7.4%
Lot of vintage items	5.6%
Wide range of sizes	2.5%
Other	0.6%
Don’t know	3.6%

All those who have bought used clothes skipped to Q10.

Q9: Why don’t you buy used clothes? (Sample size=5,839, multiple answer)

Reluctant because of who might have worn it before	45.4%
Has image of being damaged, dirty, etc	28.7%
Not really that much cheaper	24.9%
Not had an opportunity to buy	24.7%
No used clothes shops near me	24.0%
Nothing I want	23.7%
Don’t like the smell	19.2%
Just don’t buy many clothes	18.9%
Old clothes don’t match my fashion style	18.1%
No sizes that fit	10.6%
No clothes that suit my age	7.6%
Think that old clothes are just for young people	5.5%
It’s not in vogue at the moment	1.2%
Other	1.2%
No particular reason	9.6%

Women had more reasons for not buying clothes than men, except for in the just not buying many clothes category.

Q10: Which famous person would look/looks good in used clothing? (Sample size=10,099, free answer)

Rank	Name	Votes
1	Tsuyoshi Kusanagi	784
2	Takuya Kimura	498
3	Becky	344
4	George Tokoro	315
5	YOU	179
6	Chinatsu Wakatsuki	177
7	Joe Odagiri	169
8=	Tsuyoshi Domoto	101
8=	Masatoshi Hamada	101
10	Kaera Kimura	84

Q10A: Which famous person would look/looks good in used clothing? (Sample size=4,736, male, free answer)

Rank	Name	Votes
1	Tsuyoshi Kusanagi	315
2	Takuya Kimura	270
3	George Tokoro	207
4	Joe Odagiri	71
5	Masatoshi Hamada	55
6	Tsuyoshi Domoto	35
7	Becky	32
8	Chinatsu Wakatsuki	31
9	Shingo Katori	20
10	Ikko Furuya	19

Q10B: Which famous person would look/looks good in used clothing? (Sample size=5,363, female, free answer)

Rank	Name	Votes
1	Tsuyoshi Kusanagi	433
2	Becky	312
3	Takuya Kimura	228
4	YOU	165
5	Chinatsu Wakatsuki	146
6	George Tokoro	108
7	Joe Odagiri	98
8	Kaera Kimura	79
9=	aiko	66
9=	Tsuyoshi Domoto	66