Secondhand news and archive

Africa's secondhand clothing market balances economic promise and pressures

Africa has become a critical player in the global secondhand clothing market, offering a fast-growing outlet for pre-owned apparel exports while highlighting tensions between economic necessity and industrial ambition. Driven by affordability, style diversity, and sustainability concerns, the continent’s demand for secondhand garments—often...

Background|Interview

For a circular economy and fashion industry, behavioural change is key

Research shows that if 25 percent of consumers change their behaviour, it can be enough to establish a new norm. This could also apply to fashion. The message from Mirella Soyer, professor of behaviour for circular transitions at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, is clear: to achieve a circular economy, we need behavioural change. The...

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Fashion

Trendy secondhand pieces for spring/summer 2025

FashionUnited has analysed trend pages and street style image databases to give you an overview of the key secondhand pieces for spring/summer 2025. A best-of for brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers alike looking for inspiration for re-orders or to update their shop windows. Charms Bag charms. Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight. This...

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Business

Secondhand market ‘here to stay’ amid cost-of-living crisis, Vinted head says

The cost-of-living crisis has ensured the future of the secondhand market, Vinted chief executive officer, Adam Jay, told Sky News. This was mirrored in Vinted’s report of shopping behaviour shifts this year, showing that two billion pounds was forecast to be spent on pre-loved Christmas gifts. Speaking to the media outlet, Jay, said the “trend”...

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Business

‘A circular economy for the textile industry offers opportunities, but also needs action’

A recent report looks at the chances and challenges of a circular textile industry in the Netherlands, thus providing interesting input for other countries as well. The report titled ‘Towards a Dutch Circular Textile Industry’ was published by Invest-NL, an investment company that finances sustainable and innovative projects. While a circular...

Fashion

Traid launches 'Closet Clear-out Challenge' campaign

Second-hand clothing charity Traid has launched a new campaign, backed by celebrities, including Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Erin O’Connor to generate 250,000 garment donations throughout September. The 'Closet Clear-Out Challenge' has been created to mark the charity's 25th anniversary to raise money to fund its global projects focused on...

Fashion

John Lewis launches pre-loved childrenswear in-store with TheLittleLoop

John Lewis is continuing to roll out sustainable fashion initiatives with a new partnership with British pre-loved and rented children’s clothing platform TheLittleLoop to launch a second-hand children’s clothing concession within its London flagship store on Oxford Street. The space will be located on the kids’ floor of the store, featuring...

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Business|Interview

Managing discarded clothes at source - German start-up Recyclehero shows how

With around 5.5 kilograms of used clothing per capita per year, Germans are not only the top exporters of used textiles in the EU, but also worldwide, surpassed only by the USA and just ahead of UK. These clothes are a burden on people and the environment, not only in their own country, but also in the Global South, where the clothes often end...

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Fashion

Vinted Impact Report 2023: Second-hand replaces new clothes in Europe

Second-hand fashion is becoming increasingly important to European consumers. In its latest ‘Impact Report’, second-hand platform Vinted has analysed the place that used clothing is taking up in people's wardrobes and gives insights into consumer behaviour in the second-hand category. These are based on a survey of around 100,000 members of...

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Fashion

New “Sustainable Style Guide for Everyone” provides comprehensive starting point for more conscious fashion consumption

Cultural sustainability organisation Black Pearl has published a sustainable style guide today that is meant for anyone who wears clothes, across age, race, gender, ability, geography, socioeconomics, values and beliefs. The “Sustainable Style Guide For Everyone” aims to provide sustainable fashion solutions for any wardrobe, from the every day...

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Culture

Ebay extends Love Island sponsorship to All Stars season

Resale marketplace Ebay has announced the extension of its partnership with ITV’s Love Island to bring its sponsorship of the reality show to a new All Stars season. The move expands on the already established relationship between Ebay and Love Island, which had initially been introduced in early 2022 with the platform beginning to supply...

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Business

Valentino expands vintage concept with new locations and educational partnership

Luxury label Valentino has announced the evolution of its Valentino Vintage concept, expanding the secondhand initiative on a global scale and bringing it into the educational sector. Initially launched in 2021 as a way to provide select vintage stores with preloved Valentino garments, the concept has now grown from four stores to seven, in...