The new fad of fashion brands? Launch their own second-hand platforms, so that customers can resell and buy pieces from past collections online. The Zara brand is also getting started with Pre-Owned, available in France from September 7, 2023.
The platform Zara’s “Pre-Owned” arrives in France! Starting the September 7, customers of the Spanish brand will be able to extend the life of their clothes. First launched in the UK in 2022, this new functionality allows consumers to buy and sell the parts of the iberian brand that they wish to part with. If we do not yet know the prices that will be practiced on the French version of Pre-Owned, in Great Britain, they defy all competition: 3 pounds (i.e. 3.50 euros) the polka dot top, 4 pounds (i.e. 4.60 euros) the printed skirt or the jeans with pearls… The aficionados of the label prefer to give their clothes? The clothes are collected at home, then given to the association Le Relais, which upgrades them up to 97%. Replacing buttons, zippers or repairing seams… A service of repair is also offered to those who wish to restore their favorite creations.
A desire to become more sustainable?
This initiative is part of the strategic plan of sustainable development of the Spanish group Inditex, owner of Zara, which wants to reduce its emissions by 50% by 2030. The group says it aims to reach the carbon neutral by 2040. “We strongly believe that innovation is essential for the development of a circular future”explains Paula Ampuero, responsible for sustainable development Zara.com.
Integrated on Zara’s website and app, Pre-Owned was launched to breathe new life into the brand’s creations. It remains to be seen whether the fabrics used in the production of collections of fast fashion stand the test of time… Especially since despite this initiative, Zara is known to sell dozens of different clothes every week. In 2019, the specialist magazine Business of Fashion thus amounted to 500 the number of weekly new products in stores. Some professionals in the sector therefore see Pre-Owned as a clumsy attempt to greenwashing. After France and the United Kingdom, the platform will arrive in Germany and Spain by the end of 2023. Before being extended to the rest of the Inditex group’s markets (and brands)? Case to follow.