Fashion brands have come under increasing-scrutiny over the past few years. Many, especially those on the high street, have come under fire for encouraging fast fashion, or a “throwaway culture”.
The number of garments produced annually has doubled in the past two decades, exceeding 100 billion for the first time in 2014, according to reports. Meanwhile, the equivalent of three in five of these end up in a landfill or incinerated every year.
But now shoppers – led by Gen Z - are becoming more environmentally conscious, and retailers are finally taking action. Fast fashion is being replaced with a more sustainable ideal.
Today, we are seeing the coming together of slow fashion and digital retail, a move some have dubbed “slick”, or “slow fashion quickly.” It’s slower fashion, where brands offer a mix of new and pre-loved clothing to their customers but with the benefit of everything you’ve come to expect from the best digital retailers: great customer experience, quick check-out and fast delivery.
Depop
Digital marketplaces such as Depop, where consumers can buy and sell used clothes, jewellery, books, sports equipment, and other products have led the way.
And with more shoppers happy to buy used and pre-owned products, it’s not surprising to see fashion brands and retailers from other industries follow suit. IKEA is one to tap into the trend.
According to recent research by my company SQLI, more than three quarters (76%) of shoppers want brands to offer a mix of new and pre-loved clothing. More than a quarter (26%) polled said they want to receive these items the same day.
Meanwhile, when it comes to pre-owned products, 34 per cent would like to see reviews from previous owners, while almost two-thirds (60%) would love to be able to buy more second-hand clothing - and would purchase from charity shops if they went online.
Environmentally aware shoppers are not only thinking about the planet. They are thinking about their wallets during the present cost-of-living crisis.
And a host of digital retailers are offering their customers the chance to send back their used items, and buy pre-loved products that would once have been thrown away at a greatly reduced price.
On outdoor retailer Patagonia’s “Worn Wear” outlet, linked through its main digital platform, customers can find out if their old clothes are tradeable. If they are, they can post them or take them to a bricks and mortar store and receive up to 50 per cent of the resale price through credit to use online or in-store. Consumers can browse through a range of used gear, from women’s and men’s clothes, to baby items and even sleeping bags.
Carhartt
And at the beginning of March, US premium workwear brand Carhartt launched Carhartt Reworked in partnership with Trove – dedicated to extending the life of workwear while reducing clothing waste and creating a circular re-commerce model. Customers can exchange their gear for a digital gift card and choose from a huge range of used garments online.
As mentioned, IKEA is getting in on the act, too. The furniture giant has a buy-back estimator tool where customers can determine a guide price for their used products. They can then be taken fully-assembled back to a store and exchanged for in-store credit. The brand now sells pre-loved items both in-store and online.
It’s clear the emergence of the more sustainably-conscious Gen Z is driving the popularity of pre-loved goods and attire.
Circular fashion is helping brands attract a whole new legion of customers, with rewards and money off new clothing an added bonus to what they understand as doing their bit for the planet.
Building a reselling platform into a digital site can not only lead to more sales, but encourage customers to follow suit and lead more sustainable lives.
Now it’s up to retailers to lead from the front and help build on this momentum.
