Second-hand should come first. Sustainable home consumption beyond the market

Abstract

Studies on sustainable consumption have predominantly focused on first-hand consumers, whereas research on second-hand consumers has been centered on the act of purchase. This has involved investigations into specific venues such as second-hand markets and thrift shops or the motivations, barriers, and meanings behind such acquisition behaviors. This article strives to enhance the understanding of second-hand consumption within the framework of sustainable development in peripheral countries and in contexts with a limited access to new products. Through interviews conducted in different households across the Metropolitan Region of Chile, we delved into the diverse channels through which used items are exchanged –including waste picking, inheritance, and sharing–. The findings underscore the pivotal role these objects play in numerous households and highlight how certain spatial and social factors –such as urban density, social networks, land use, family structure, and emotional attachment to belongings– are crucial in promoting the sustainable exchange of second-hand goods outside of the market economy.