In this series we talk to the individuals and companies helping retailers become greener businesses – highlighting the tools, technologies, and options available to support a change in environmental focus.
Green Retail World was on stage at the IRX 2023 e-commerce conference in May with Nicola Gleave, founder and director of Worn By Us, a platform that retailers and consumers are using to keep clothes in use for longer.
That particular session, which also featured Millie Pearson, chief operating officer at online sneaker reseller The Edit Ldn, was about the growth of the resale market, and the opportunities it presents the wider retail industry. All panellists spoke of the rising interest in pre-loved fashion, and suggested it is more than just a trend – it’s a shift in how consumers behave and want to shop.
The UK consumer, they agreed, no longer necessarily sees second-hand as second best. It is just one of several options people will naturally consider when looking to purchase goods on or offline – the message conveyed was that pre-loved is “cool” now.
It appears to the be case globally too, with research from GlobalData and online second-hand marketplace ThredUp suggesting the pre-loved market in the US will nearly double by 2027, reaching a value of $350 billion.
With so many people talking up the pre-loved revolution, Green Retail World decided to chat to Gleave about the Worn By Us proposition and its role in the retail ecosystem.