'My £3 Vinted top was sent to Australia': Second-hand clothes marketplace sparks backlash for sending cheap items all over the world
The clothing and homeware resale app has expanded to become a global marketplace, opening the door to UK users purchasing items in the US and Australia - a move campaigners say risks damaging its green credentials
Vinted is facing backlash after allowing UK users to purchase clothing from the US and Australia, with campaigners warning the move could undermine its reputation as a greener alternative to fast fashion.
Listen to this article
The second-hand marketplace has expanded its cross-border offering, meaning UK shoppers can now be shown items from the other side of the world - often without realising until they check a listing.
The move comes despite Vinted acknowledging that emissions generated by delivery are its biggest environmental challenge, accounting for 94% of those linked to sales and operations.
Vinted says it remains “focused on reducing emissions” across logistics and operations, and the “vast majority” of items are sold within the UK.
But critics say allowing a low-cost item to travel thousands of miles risks undermining that aim.
Read more: Searches for second-hand bridesmaid dresses up 17% year on year according to Vinted
Dr Brett Staniland, a sustainable fashion campaigner, told LBC the expansion is at odds with the reason many people use Vinted in the first place: to buy clothes more sustainably.
“People have moved over to Vinted because it offers everything we could want or need second-hand, so it’s a better option for our moral compasses and for the planet,” he said.
“Yet, when you add on shipping it all the way around the world, it kind of makes all of that somewhat redundant.”
Vinted has built its appeal on extending the life of unwanted clothes, turning wardrobes into a circular marketplace rather than sending garments straight to landfill.
Its most recent Impact Report, published before the expansion, found 76% of orders in 2025 avoided the purchase of a new item.
It also estimated members avoided 1,607 kilotonnes of CO₂e by shopping second-hand.
But Staniland said circular fashion is not automatically low-carbon fashion - particularly when a top, dress or accessory is transported internationally, wrapped in extra protective packaging and potentially returned.
The changes mean that an item bought from Sydney by a UK customer will fundamentally cost the same as an item from London, with international listings incurring no extra charges.
Avid Vinted user Phoebe Waters, 24, said she was shocked to discover a £3 top she had sold on Vinted was being sent to Australia.
“I sold something on Vinted the other day and was shocked to find out the buyer was in Australia,” she told LBC.
“It didn’t really bother me too much after I discovered the buyer paid for all the delivery fees, but I was still surprised because it was only a £3 top. I did stop to think: is that really worth it?”
Waters said she mainly uses Vinted because it is cheaper than buying new and offers more distinctive items.
But she said the company’s global expansion felt “a bit cynical” given its ethical and sustainable image.
Staniland said Vinted should be clearer that overseas items can appear in users’ feeds, particularly for shoppers drawn to the platform for its environmental credentials.
“I’ve seen a lot of people say, ‘I never knew that we could buy from the US or Australia,’” he said.
“If I had the choice between the same item from the UK or the US, I’d pick the UK - but many buyers won’t know an item is coming from overseas until after they’ve clicked buy.”
He said platforms should show shoppers the estimated carbon impact of an order before they pay.
“For years second-hand platforms have told us that we are saving CO₂ emissions by buying second-hand instead of new,” he said. “I now want to know how many more we’re adding on by buying second-hand from 10,000 or 7,000 miles away.”
Ok I’m a little concerned about using vinted now that it’s in australia bc all the sellers are in the uk. I was excited bc I was like yay secondhand clothes!! But idk how environmentally conscious it is of me to buy something all the way in the UK and have it shipped to aus
— jane (@stancyhater) June 29, 2026
James Gwynne, managing director at ITP Packaging, said international resale comes with added environmental considerations beyond increased fuel use.
“When you’re buying something second-hand, it’s easy to think of it as the sustainable option and leave it at that,” he said.
“But if that item is coming from another country, it’s going through a much longer delivery journey, and the packaging needs to protect it all the way there too.”
International parcels pass through more handling points than domestic deliveries, meaning sellers and couriers use more protective packaging, potentially including more plastic, than would be needed for a short UK journey.
“That doesn’t mean international second-hand shopping is a bad thing, but it’s something worth considering if sustainability is part of the reason you’re buying second-hand in the first place.”
Staniland also warned the expansion could fuel overconsumption by putting sought-after US and Australian brands just a tap away.
Social media and influencers can make international labels feel scarce or exclusive, while seamless in-app payments can make a purchase from Australia feel no different from one from the UK.
“It’s another guilt-free ticket to go and overconsume fashion."
“The ultimate step is buying less, and it worries me that this move doesn’t consider that.”
Vinted said the expansion supports its mission to make “second-hand the first choice”.
In a statement to LBC, it said: “Our mission has always been to make second-hand the first choice worldwide and to give our members the best possible opportunities to buy and sell on Vinted.
“We’re aware that shipping any parcel has an environmental impact, which is why we’re focused on reducing emissions across our operations and logistics to make them even more efficient.
“The vast majority of purchases UK members make are still from other UK sellers - international listings make up only a very small percentage of what they see on Vinted.”
The company said its new UK, US and Australia connections fell outside the data cut-off for its latest Impact Report and would be included in future reporting.
Vinted is targeting a 52% reduction in emissions per parcel delivered through its in-house shipping service, Vinted Go, by 2030.
But Staniland said the future of sustainable second-hand shopping should be closer to home.
"The platform should prioritise local second-hand shopping, including clearer ways for users to find nearby sellers and use shorter delivery routes.
“Platforms like Vinted should aim to be more local, not more global,” he said. “We don’t need more options; we need fewer.”