Dear sustainability manager, have you ever searched for your own brand on Vinted?
A while ago, I sat down with the sustainability manager of a medium-sized Dutch clothing brand. We discussed circularity, material choices and ambitious sustainability goals for 2030. At one point, the conversation turned to the second-hand market and its potential relevance.
I took out my phone and opened Vinted. I typed in the brand name. Hundreds of results appeared. I could have kept scrolling indefinitely. He looked visibly surprised. “I’ve actually never checked to see if our brand is on here.”
The market that already exists
What is particularly striking is how often this occurs. Many brands have little insight into what happens to their products post-sale. Some are aware but consider it a distant issue.
Some organisations are fully aware that their products are being resold on a massive scale, yet they choose to ignore it. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of marketing euros are spent daily on advertisements to acquire new customers. They invest in creating demand, while a visible and active demand already exists on second-hand platforms. This is a missed opportunity, to say the least.
The second-hand fashion market is now in full swing. Vinted, Sellpy and Vestiaire Collective are no longer niche platforms. For a growing number of consumers, the search for a brand starts there, not on the brand’s own website.
Almost no greater compliment
When your brand is listed hundreds of times, it says something fundamental. It means someone considers your product worth keeping, photographing and reselling. This is not something one does with an item that falls apart after a single season, or with a product believed to be worthless.
Being resold is, in my opinion, one of the greatest compliments a brand can receive. It shows that your product has quality, that it remains relevant and that your brand is recognisable enough to be actively searched for.
Above all, however, it is an economic opportunity. There is clearly a secondary market for your product. People are willing to pay for a pre-loved item. This means you are not just selling a product; you are also creating residual value.
What you can see
My advice? Take some time to scroll through those listings. A closer look reveals more than just second-hand clothing. You can see how consumers frame your product. You see the words they use and the features they highlight.
“Lasts a long time” “Original price X” “Barely worn.”
That is unfiltered feedback, directly from users. You do not need to hire expensive research agencies for this. It is authentic.
You also see which items repeatedly appear. You can identify which categories remain popular and which pieces retain their value. This information is directly relevant for product development, pricing and your circular strategy. Second-hand platforms are therefore a goldmine of data.
Circularity in practice
More often than not, discussions within sustainability departments revolve around material choices, supply chain transparency and scope one, two and three emissions. Rightly so. Product lifespan, however, is at least as crucial for determining impact.
Resale makes that lifespan visible. You can see whether products remain desirable, if they retain their quality and if they are chosen again. That is circularity in practice.
Brands like Patagonia and Levi's have understood that resale does not have to be a threat to new sales. It can be an extension of your brand and a way to reach new audiences and remain relevant in a changing market.
Start simple
We like to make circularity a grand, strategic affair with multi-year plans, pilots and frameworks. Yet, part of the answer is already visible. Open Vinted and search for your brand name.
What you see there is not a side issue. It is not a peripheral phenomenon. It is an existing market where your brand is already active. The question is not whether resale is relevant. The question is what you are going to do with it.
Pim Roggeveen is co-founder of WEAR and Re The Agency. WEAR is a circular fashion startup with a mission to transform the fashion industry. WEAR sells pre-loved trainers, which are refurbished second-hand trainers. In doing so, it encourages the reuse of existing products, a cornerstone of making the clothing industry more sustainable. Re The Agency is a strategic and creative partner for brands looking to grow in the new economy.
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