With sustainability high on everyones list these days, the concept of buying preloved fashion items is no longer a stigma. The preloved luxury resale market is quickly becoming one of the biggest economies within the fashion industry, so we are taking a look at why shopping preloved luxury is the most sustainable choice.

Reselling items which already exist is one of the best ways to eliminate waste and reduce the environmental impact caused by production in the fashion industry. The issues remain however when items which are poorly made or made with poor materials, become obsolete as their lifespan is small and they won’t have the ability to be resold again and again. 

With nearly 70% of the pollution caused by the fashion industry occurring during production, choosing to buy anything preloved reduces this impact. According to Greenpeace, clothing consumption is set rise by 63% by 2030, and at the same time, but at same time we are wearing our clothes 40% less than we did 10 years ago. This high level of consumption is not sustainable and one which needs to be addressed from many angles and from all levels; the production, the consumers, the marketing.

I come from a background of always buying secondhand, long before it became ‘fashionable’ and have always found and loved amazing pieces in charity shops or similar. However the same problems kept occurring, a lot of the pieces I bought had a short lifespan, and once worn a few times became worn out and then are not fit for purpose and most likely end up in landfill. 

With this knowledge, and with the intense need for climate action, it started to make more sense to me, to only buy high quality pieces, investments which will stand the test of time.

Preloved luxury bags for example, from brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, are all made with such attention to detail, they take time and money to make because of the quality of the end piece. And while they come with a higher price tag, the resale investment which comes with them, means they pay for themselves in a ‘cost per wear’ standpoint. Vintage Chanel bags are a highly coveted item and actually go for a higher price than they originally were in the resale market. Preowned Louis Vuitton bags range in price from a few hundred euro to a few thousand, but whatever your budget, buying a preloved designer bag will provide you with not only a super stylish wardrobe addition, but one which can be resold once you’re tired of it. 

In order to really start to see a positive change happening in our environment, we all need to do our bit to make little changes, as all these little changes add up to create a big shift. Choosing to look at how and what we shop is only a small aspect of addressing the fashion industry consumerism but it is an important topic and it is vital to really look at how we can start to consume quality over quantity and what we can do with what already exists.

You can do your part and be part of the circular fashion economy also, through looking at what you already own and whether you still use it or not. Selling on luxury items is an excellent way to revamp your own wardrobe and make a little money in the process. Reselling luxury items has also never been easier with so many option available, and we at The Sustainable Studio make it super easy for you to resell with us. Get in touch with us if you have any questions on how to resell your items or on sustainability!