By Iryna Imago / Getty Images
Although poles apart at first glance, fast fashion and the second-hand market now seem closer than ever. Some of the biggest fast-fashion brands seem to be diving into this niche to drive down waste while giving themselves a greener image. The Swedish giant H&M is the latest to take the plunge, launching its own resale platform in the US in collaboration with ThredUp.
Although poles apart at first glance, fast fashion and the second-hand market now seem closer than ever. Some of the biggest fast-fashion brands seem to be diving into this niche to drive down waste while giving themselves a greener image. The Swedish giant H&M is the latest to take the plunge, launching its own resale platform in the US in collaboration with ThredUp.
A few months ago, this might have seemed inconceivable. On the one hand, fast fashion was in the firing line for its environmentally damaging model, and for encouraging over-consumption. On the other hand, second-hand clothing was being hailed as a way to reduce the mountains of textile waste, and to limit the need for new clothes. Plus, some were quick to criticize the absurdity of resale platforms on which pre-loved fast-fashion items were -- and still are -- being sold. And one platform was quick to respond to this paradoxical situation.
Back in November, coinciding with Black Friday, the high-end fashion and accessories resale platform Vestiaire Collective announced plans to banish fast-fashion brands previously present in its online store, justifying its decision by the fact that "fashion's biggest challenge" is "fast-fashion waste." This campaign was supported by hashtags that left no doubt as to its position on fast fashion: #saynotofastfashion.
Shein, Asos, Boohoo, Missguided, Nasty Gal, Pretty Little Thing and Topshop were among the first brands concerned by this boycott. If some major fast-fashion brands, such as Zara and H&M, are still listed on the resale website, this has not prevented them from taking the lead in developing their own second-hand resale platforms. A commitment to the planet, they explain, although some are already crying greenwashing. But it's also a way to improve their image, and not to stay on the sidelines of a market that can be highly profitable.
Zara, H&M and even Shein
In the fall of 2022, Zara announced the launch of its own second-hand platform, Pre-Owned. This allows the brand's customers to sell and/or buy second-hand Zara products, or even donate them, or have them repaired. This initiative is already up and running in the UK and will be rolled out to other countries. The ultra-fast fashion giant Shein has also cottoned on to the idea, launching Shein Exchange, a platform for the exchange and resale of second-hand items from the brand, currently only available in the United States. And the news hasn't failed to raise eyebrows, since the brand is widely criticized for its practices, and for the quality of its clothes.
More recently, Swedish retailer H&M has entered the game in partnership with the American resale specialist, ThredUp. Here again, the aim is to establish its own resale platform, initially in the United States, with the possibility of shopping pre-loved clothes via the sites of the two fashion companies. This can evidently be seen as a positive step in favor of the environment, and there's no denying that H&M has been racking up initiatives in this direction for several years. Still, the fact remains that the second-hand market is a promising sector, and a real financial opportunity for these brands.
Globally, the second-hand fashion market was estimated to be worth $36 billion in 2021, with forecasters expecting it to double within five years to $77 billion, according to a report published by ThredUp.
This buoyant market has clearly not finished attracting new players from all horizons, even if some are quick to embrace an eco-responsible alternative before even attempting -- or at least not significantly -- to transform their original business model.
