You don’t know it but you have too much clothes in your wardrobe

A recent study reveals that you have an average of 175 clothes in your closet. Therefore, Places of sale, second hand … Meanwhile, RMC consumer returns to your purchasing habits.

175: This is the number of clothes that a Frenchman has on average in his closet. Furthermore, as revealed by a recent study by the Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) and the Company & Consumption Observatory (Obsoco).

How much do you buy new parts every year? Meanwhile, In what brands? Consequently, And what is the place of the second hand in your purchases? In addition, RMC CONSO gives you the main figures for this study.

50% sleeping clothes – You don't know it but

Each year, you buy an average of 13 new clothes excluding accessories, underwear and children’s fashion. Moreover, Or more than one per month.

And for good reason, you tend to underestimate the number of pieces you already have. you don’t know it but In addition, The French think they have 79 clothes in their wardrobe, when they actually have 175 pieces, almost twice as much.

In detail, you have an average of 18 t-shirts and polo shirts, 11 highs, 11 pants or 6 coats.

But how to explain this discrepancy? Over 50% of the clothes remain in your cupboards without being used.

“At the national level. this dormant stock would represent 120 million clothes bought more than three months ago, and even in new state (or carried less than twice)”, points out the study.

A stock that is sometimes invised if you rotate between winter and summer clothes.

As explained in a video Marie Quéru. an influencer specializing in interior ecology, and quoted by our time, by separating our dressing room according to the seasons, we forget what we have and are tempted to buy pieces. However. only 19% of French people recognize that their purchases you don’t know it but are excessive:

“Shopping continues to be described as a primary need, which goes far beyond the only function of dressing: sociability, even integration, identity, well-being …”, is it detailed.

The importance of fast and ultra fast fashion – You don't know it but

Where do you buy your clothes? 45% of French people dress in fast fashion brands. H&M, Zara and Primark being the most frequented.

56% of you prefer to make their clothing purchases directly in stores, whether for older consumers, but also the youngest. While they could be supposed to be much younger, fast food customers are 43 years old on average.

It is the opposite for brands of Ultra Fast Fashion (Shein, Tému, Asos …), acclaimed by 24% of French people and which mainly affect young consumers. The average age is, however, 38 years on average. On the other hand, the over 55s are almost nonexistent within their customers.

“There are twice as you don’t know it but many times as the average panel to explain that they can ‘buy a lot of clothes. and often renew them’,” said the study.

Models whose social, environmental and health consequences are no longer to be proven.

The limits of the second hand

Just behind the fast-fashion brands. there are still 42% of French people who buy on second-hand platforms, especially on Vinted which captures 90% of consumers on the occasion.

According to the study. “they see these sites as an opportunity to do ‘good deals’, in addition to new, more than an ecological solution”.

Several limits are however pointed out. First. the second hand represents a minority part in the clothing budget (30% of the total budget) for an average of 115 euros per year per person.

Then, 30% of people who sell clothes on these platforms reinject their earnings in the purchase of new clothes. The majority of products sold on you don’t know it but this type of platform are also very little worn. For example, 55% were worn less than five times. The logic of the occasion was therefore completely diverted.

Another flaw: second -hand consumers throw less clothes since they sell them. but they also give them less to collection points and other resources.

The eco-score, a hope?

As ADEME. Obsoco say, this study is not intended to feel guilty consumers, but to give them the keys to make an informed choice in stores and on online sales sites.

On this subject, the eco-score, the “Nutri-score of clothing”, will be set up in the fall of 2025. Thanks to a score of 0 endlessly. it will indicate the environmental impact of the garment thanks to around twenty criteria (CO2 emissions, water consumption, toxicity, sustainability etc.).

The main limit of this eco-score is nevertheless its difficult readability. Consumers will have to be informed and educated to understand you don’t know it but what a note of 500 or 1,000 means on a garment. Second limit, the optional aspect of the eco-score, which will not initially be imposed on brands.

Finally, as the UFC-Que Choose denounces, the consumption trend in the textile sector is very clear. This speaks of a “too widespread buyer fever and which is reflected in global data”. 3.2 billion clothes were put on the market in France in 2023 against 2.3 billion in 2010.