It’s Second-Hand September – a month-long awareness campaign about the social and environmental benefits of purchasing pre-loved items led by Oxfam – so Green Retail World wanted to highlight some of the new concepts hitting the market.
All this month, Oxfam is encouraging people to donate clothes, reuse, rewear and restyle. Several retailers have got involved with initiatives of their own as interest in second hand and the circular economy continues to gather pace.
Here are five of the best we spotted:
Asda sells refurbished TVs in 6 stores
Asda has announced customers in six locations will now be able to purchase refurbished TVs, in a first for a UK supermarket.
The grocer has refurbished three models of returned HD LED Smart Sharp and Polaroid TVs at its electrical returns centre using recycled materials – and they are now starting to be sold in stores in Folkestone, Leeds, Glasgow, Sunderland, Robroyston, and Ellesmere Port.
Re-packaged to make clear to customers that they are refurbished, the TVs are retailing from £100.
Lisa Lennon, vice president, general merchandise at Asda, said: “Increasing the longevity of our products and supporting the circular economy has its clear environmental benefits and can also be a way for us to provide more affordable options to more of our customers.
“The trial is already proving very popular stores where it has launched and marks an excitement moment for us as we continue look at new ways we can further reduce our carbon footprint, and support customers where budgets may be stretched.”
PO.P pops up with a new preloved concept
Not only has childrenswear retailer PO.P recently launched ‘PO.P Reclaimed’, a collection using leftover fabrics to minimise waste and conserve resources, but it has now started on a pop-up store journey to raise awareness of buying second hand.
On 4 September, it opened a pop-up in Stockholm dedicated to used and loved second-hand clothes. The store is open until the end of October, and is located at Sergelgatan 14, in Sweden’s capital.
PO.P has plans to open this concept in other cities as part of a wider push to increase second-hand sales as a percentage of total revenue.
Mamas and Papas hits Second-Hand September hat-trick
For the third year running, Mamas & Papas is supporting the Second-Hand September campaign by amplifying the benefits of pre-loved shopping and encouraging people to buy more sustainably.
To mark the occasion, the retailer announced some of its achievements with the campaign to date: as of the start of this month, it had given 19,500 baby clothing items a chance to be reused partly through collecting goods from customers its stores, and it had donated £14,500 through the resale of items through Oxfam’s shops and website.
This year, Mamas & Papas is giving consumers £5 off their shop on a minimum spend of £25 when they donate a full bag of pre-loved clothing. Oxfam’s green collection boxes are now in 53 of the retailer’s stores across the UK.
The retailer is also donating 100% of the profits from the sale of its pre-loved Mamas & Papas pushchairs throughout the month. The business now sells restored, fully valeted pre-loved pushchairs (which come with a six-month warranty) at 11 Mamas & Papas stores and concessions across the UK.
Zara second-hand concept heading to the US
Inditex fashion brand Zara has said it will offer its service for selling, repairing or donating second-hand clothes in the US for the first time. Reuters first reported that the Zara pre-owned platform will be available to American consumers by the end of October – it already runs in 16 European countries, after launching in the UK in November 2022.
Oxfam and Vinted team up for London Fashion Week
Yesterday (12 September) a star-studded line up of celebrities took part in the event where all of the catwalk outfits were second hand. These items are now available to buy on Oxfam’s online ‘wardrobe’ ‘Shop with Vinted’.
The show – which called for people to “dress for the world they want, for everyone, everywhere” – included celebrities Deborah Meaden, Frankie Bridge, Angellica Bell, Miranda Richardson, and many more.
Commenting at the event, stylist Bay Garnett said: “Tonight was absolutely incredible.
“Seeing all the looks on the runway is always one of my favourite bits of the whole process. It’s nights like these that prove why second-hand always works and why I love it – the mix, and something for everyone.”
Dragons Den star Meaden added: “We know that the fashion industry is having a huge impact on our planet, which is exactly why we need to be talking about sustainable clothes.
“Having a fashion show like this proves that second-hand clothing is not only stylish and great value-for-money, but it helps the planet. It was a bit out of my comfort zone to take part in a runway show at London Fashion Week – but it was fantastic and we definitely proved the power of pre-loved clothing tonight.”
Reflecting on the show, Marianne Gybels, Vinted’s senior director of sustainability, remarked: “It did a fantastic job of highlighting the creativity, beauty and potential of second-hand fashion.
“This partnership with Oxfam allows us to emphasise the importance of making pre-loved clothing accessible and appealing for everyone. By making these looks available on Vinted, we continue to show that second-hand fashion is not just a trend but a powerful movement towards a more sustainable fashion industry, and anyone can join.”
[image credits: Green Retail World]
