5 ways resale elevates sustainability
Fashion resale offers an effective solution to extend the life cycle of clothing, divert items from landfills, promote circularity, and encourage responsible consumption.
The fashion industry is known for the heavy environmental footprint. From the cultivation of raw materials to the manufacturing process and garment disposal, fashion production contributes to pollution, water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and waste generation. Embracing sustainability helps reduce negative environmental impact and promotes responsible resource management.
But sustainability in fashion goes beyond environmental concerns and encompasses social aspects. Some of the most important are fair labour practices, safe working conditions, and the overall well-being of workers throughout the supply chain.
Today's consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the impact their purchases have on the environment and society. That is why they are seeking out brands that align with their values, including sustainability. By prioritising sustainability, fashion brands can attract and retain customers who are actively seeking more environmentally and socially responsible options. Moreover, governments and regulatory bodies are implementing stricter regulations and standards regarding sustainability in the fashion industry.
One way or another, fashion brands must address sustainability. They can do so by working on many aspects of their production, but also on what happens to their products once they go to market. In particular, they can take care of what happens at the end of the product life cycle. How can they do that? Collecting garments for recycling or reuse is a possibility, as well as the resale of pre-loved fashion can positively impact a brand's sustainability strategy.
How fashion resale elevates sustainability
Overall, fashion resale offers customers an eco-friendly alternative to the constant cycle of buying new clothing and contributes to a more sustainable and responsible fashion industry.
Let's delve into what are the sustainability benefits of fashion resale:
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Extending the Lifespan of Clothing
By reselling pre-owned fashion items, the lifespan of these garments is extended. Instead of being discarded or forgotten in closets, they find new homes and continue to be utilised. This reduces the need for new clothing production, saving resources and energy that would otherwise be required to manufacture new garments.
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Reducing Textile Waste
The fashion industry produces a significant amount of textile waste. By participating in resale, clothing items are kept in circulation, minimising the amount of clothing ending up in landfills. This helps mitigate the environmental impact associated with textile waste disposal, including the release of harmful chemicals and greenhouse gas emissions.
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Lowering Carbon Footprint
Resale reduces the demand for new clothing, thereby reducing the carbon footprint associated with its production. Free shipping and returns are common practices in online sales, that can incentivise irresponsible consumer behaviour which increases carbon footprint. Resale generally encourages more responsible behaviours, as both shipping and returns are normally paid for by the consumer.
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Encouraging Circular Economy
Fashion resale contributes to a circular economy model, where resources are utilised and reused for as long as possible. By participating in resale, individuals become part of a system that values the longevity and reuse of clothing items. It promotes the idea of circulating and sharing resources rather than relying solely on new production.
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Ethical and Conscious Consumption
Resale allows consumers to make more conscious and thoughtful fashion choices. They can opt for high-quality, durable pre-loved premium and luxury items instead of supporting fast fashion, which often involves exploitative labour practices and environmental degradation. Resale encourages individuals to consider the environmental and social impact of their fashion choices.
How to encourage resale
Fashion resale encourages consumers to think more consciously about their clothing choices. It prompts them to consider the value and longevity of their garments, fostering a mindset of mindful consumption. On the other hand, brands that support resale or have their own resale platforms contribute to the overall reduction of textile waste and demonstrate their commitment to a more sustainable and circular fashion system.
A great way to facilitate resale is by turning garments into connected products. These products offer traceability, transparency and an easy method of authentication, thus counteracting counterfeiting and limiting the risks of shopping for preloved garments.
Consumers can connect to their product to be directed to the optimum channel to resell it and ensure they recover the maximum value from their investment.
Explore the connected fashion transformation by discovering our solutions to empower customers with circularity services.
