Buying second-hand clothes and even sustainability in fashion doesn't have to be "no drama". And second hand can be pretty damn cool
Relentless numbers
In 2016, people around the world bought around 170 billion pieces of clothing and 14.5 billion pairs of shoes. These numbers are still rising and have even doubled in the last 15 years. At the same time, it is also true that the clothes purchased often end up in the trash, in landfills and incinerators (84% of the purchased goods). It is therefore clear that continuing at this rate is not possible or sustainable. Although the important question is how to change the way the garment industry itself is produced, the role of customers cannot be ignored. They should therefore be looking for ways to make the most of the clothes they have already bought instead of throwing them away. And this, of course, can also be done with the help of outside support, i.e. from companies that are also trying to promote more sustainable fashion.
Second-hand shopping
Buying clothes that are no longer used by others, and so are discarded, seems a perfectly logical response to unmanaged wardrobe clutter and subsequent purges. Although there are voices that say second-hand clothes are old, boring or dirty - and buying them is an activity that many prefer to forgo - with a little creativity, things can be different. The principle of the classic second hand shop has inspired many companies, various platforms have been created for example for swapping clothes, but also well-known brands are gradually getting involved in the second hand shopping model. One of them is Zalando, which offers the Zalando Pre-owned platform to all those who are interested in fashion but respect the principles of sustainability. The fact that Zalando Pre-owned is celebrating its first year of existence this year is an indication that this "sales model" has proven its worth.
Probably most of those who do not live completely outside the reach of the media have also caught the "No Drama" campaign that Zalando has prepared for the one-year anniversary of the aforementioned platform. Now, pretty much everyone knows about its existence. And everyone can also try sustainable shopping - because it's very easy and tries to take away all the "drama" that can often be associated with second-hand and online shopping. 'No drama' represents what our Pre-owned user experience is all about. It is therefore about combining the joy of shopping, fashion trends and the opportunity for self-expression with a more sustainable approach to fashion and the exceptional convenience of the whole process," said Torben Hansen, Zalando's Vice President of Recommerce.
The current Zalando Pre-owned range is organised into clear categories and the same conditions apply as for new purchases, with free shipping and returns within 100 days of purchase. And to celebrate its one-year anniversary, Zalando has prepared a little bonus for its customers - the offer includes unique pieces that have been made available for sale from their own wardrobes by well-known personalities such as actor and singer Omar Rudberg, Polish actress and singer Julia Wieniawa, LGBTQA+ activist Lola Rodriguez and Italian actor Pietro Turano. This special collection is available now and selected pieces can be purchased directly through links on Zalando's social media channels.
When the same outfit plus
While people's mindsets about how to acquire (new) clothes are changing, so too is the idea that you can't wear the same thing all the time. Well, to be more precise, especially in the celebrity world, it has long been the case that going out in public repeatedly in the same model is simply a faux pas. However, this way of thinking is gradually becoming a thing of the past - just look at the much-lauded Duchess of Cambridge, for example, who is appreciated not only by fashion editors but also by the public for not often buying outfits costing hundreds of thousands, but also for her ability to "recycle" her outfits in an imaginative way. So it will come as no surprise that a few days ago the Duchess of Cambridge and her husband, Prince William, appeared at the Earthshot Awards (an award given by the Royal Family for climate protection activities, initiated by Prince William himself), whose dress code directly prescribed wearing clothes already worn. As such, sustainability is gradually becoming a real trend worth following.
According to some predictions, all of the above is the way to go - and may even lead to the "resale" of worn clothes becoming a stronger segment than current fast fashion within the next ten years. And it's actually quite understandable - the numbers of people thinking about the planet are growing. This is then especially true for the younger generations, who naturally buy clothes to a greater extent than middle-aged people and seniors. Moreover, second-hand fashion is not only more sustainable, of higher quality (fast fashion is much less likely to pass the sorting filters of companies that focus on reselling clothes, Zalando included), but also cheaper, and it is possible to indulge in a number of more luxurious pieces that one would not otherwise buy "normally" - understand, for example, in Parisian... And this is a number of pluses that can contribute to the fact that "second hand" fashion will get rid of its stigma and become not only desirable, but also wanted.
