Why Pre-loved Is The Way Forward For Your Little One’s Wardrobe
ARTICLE FROM themumclub.com
The pre-loved industry is not one to be ignored, in the next five years the pre-loved clothing market will become completely mainstream and you will think about buying pre-loved items in the same way that you look at investing in the fast fashion industry.
We spoke to Stephanie Affleck the owner of Little Fashion House a website that buys and sells pre-loved and pre-seasonal designer wear for children who tells us the reasons why pre-loved clothing is something you should be considering and why it is a trend here to stay:
It is an amazing way to make and save money!
Selling pre-loved items is an amazing way to make some extra cash for yourself whilst also finding some amazing designer finds at a more accessible price. The stigma towards second hands goods has completely disappeared due to the sharing economy and people’s concerns about the sustainability of our environment as well as technology now make it more accessible and cooler! With people like the Kardashians have their own pre-loved clothing website the opinion has changed dramatically. People are now proud to invest in pre-owned items as it shows their care and contribution towards the sustainability of our environment. According to a survey of 1650 mums it found that 89% were opting to buy second hand to save money on all important purchases with some households saving up to £1,500 by opting for pre-loved. So, there has never been a better time to buy and sell pre-loved clothes and maximise on the opportunity of the current popularity of this market!
It is great for the environment!
Fashion is one of the most pollutive industries in the world it takes 700 gallons of water to produce just one new t-shirt, if everyone bought just one pre-loved item a year it would save 25 billion gallons of water which is the equivalent of 1.25 billion showers and would equal to 66 billion tree’s being planted. Giving a dress a second life reduces its C02 emissions impact by 79%. So, by purchasing pre-loved, you are reducing your environmental impact and helping towards a more sustainable planet.
Extends the life cycle of clothes
“Seventy-five percent of fashion supply chain material ends up in landfills. This amounts to ‘the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles per second.’”
Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2018 Report
We all know we are guilty of wearing something once and then never wearing it again. Children even more so get a few wears out of a piece of clothing before it no longer fits. According to the Wall Street Journal, the average adult item is worn a maximum of seven times with this being even less for children! Extending the life cycle of clothes can be so important, If second hand clothes get used by a new person for a few more years this extends the lifespan of the garment. When clothing is used to their fullest capabilities it can take up to 10 years before touching a landfill. It has been shown that extending the life of clothes by just nine extra months of active use would reduce carbon, water and waste footprints by around 20-30% each!
It supports sustainable businesses
At LFH we believe in slow fashion, slow fashion is an approach to fashion that believes in quality over quantity it is the counter argument for fast fashion that encourages reducing excessive production of clothing and supports a more ethical production process. With larger retail brands burning up to 12 tonnes of unsold garments a year and less than 1% of all clothing materials being recycled into new garments it is clear this philosophy is needed to be adopted more within the industry. This movement is focused on creating an industry that helps the planet and all the people involved from the worker to the consumer. A slow fashion business means less is more it encourages thoughtful consumption and ultimately invites consumers to invest in well-made long lasting clothes. At LFH, we are advocates in the recycling of clothes and encouraging a less disposable mindset. Sustainability and longevity is at the heart of what we do and we want to contribute towards the changing of consumers habits to making more conscious choices. We believe in long lasting value and creating stories with our clothing not the “only wear once” mentality. By buying and selling with LFH you are investing in the slow fashion movement contributing towards slowing the pace of fashion down and helping sustainable smaller businesses like ours have a presence in the fashion industry and stand next to the larger retailers.
Guaranteed Authenticity at LFH
Each item that is sold with Little Fashion House goes through a process of authenticity to ensure it is the genuine article prior to making it onto our website, if we find this not to be the case the item is returned to the seller. We take this seriously at LFH so our customer can rest assured they are investing in the very best quality and never needs to question what they are investing in.
