The PO.P preloved offering, which the childrenswear brand has successfully run online for the last year, is now available in stores.
The company, formally known as Polarn O. Pyret, is bringing its PO.P Second Hand initiative to its shops in London White City and Cambridge having resold more than 11,000 units since it launched online in September 2022.
In a similar vein to the online PO.P preloved system, customers are invited to return any PO.P item to the participating stores – no matter how old it is, how many children have worn it, or where it was bought from. In exchange for helping keep the items out of landfill and returning outgrown goods, customers receive PO.P vouchers to redeem against new and second-hand products either in store on the day or via the web.
Since launching the PO.P preloved scheme, a diverse range of items have been resold with the oldest product resold 16 years old, according to the brand.
It reported that 10% of sales units in February 2024 were from second-hand items and 40% of second-hand customers were first-time buyers, showing this initiative is opening up the brand to new business.
Johan Munck, CEO at PO.P, remarked: “The positive reception to our in-store second-hand initiative has exceeded our expectations.
“Launched nearly four years ago in the Nordics, our goal was to expand this to all markets and channels as soon as possible, since we knew that we’re appreciated for our quality and therefore high demand for our second hand childrenswear. Now it’s implemented across all our own markets and last year nearly doubled in volumes and sold 94,000 pieces.”
Munck added that PO.P Second Hand sales now stand for about 5% of its physical store sales globally.
“The textile industry’s impact on the environment is significant, and we want to change this by creating durable clothing intended for use by multiple children – this we explain in our mission statement that each garment should be used by at least three children,” he continued.
The target for PO.P is to increase second-hand sales to a 30% revenue share of store-based sales in the long term.
“While we anticipate a gradual reduction in first-hand garment production, our brand’s global influence remains modest,” Munck stated.
“Our focus is on providing clothing that not only has a lower environmental footprint, but also meets our standards for style, comfort, and weather protection.”
Read more about the rise of second-hand retail on Green Retail World
[Image credit: Green Retail World]
