What more can Vestiaire Collective do to ameliorate its sustainable standing as Climate Week kicks off in NYC this week?
That’s the question the company asked themselves before issuing new proposals that plan to combat textile waste and climate change – resulting in their most radical approach yet.
Vestiaire Collective is one of the world’s leading resale marketplaces for preloved luxury. Since its inception in 2009, it has expanded to include over 7 million members across 50 countries. With the outstanding aim to “transform the industry for a more sustainable future,” the company removed all fast fashion brands such as Zara, Uniqlo and H&M from its site last November. Surprisingly, rather than deterring consumers, this decision encouraged 92% of them to instead change their shopping habits and opt to purchase pre-loved premium brands.
Mission speaks to Samina Virk, US CEO of Vestiaire Collective about the platform’s ethos and environmental ambitions ahead of the third installation of this much talked about ‘Fast Fashion Ban.’
Mission: How would you describe Vestiaire’s commitment to circularity in the fashion industry and how are you addressing climate concerns?
Samina Virk: As the first B-corp-certified fashion resale platform in the world, we connect a global community of buyers and sellers and empower this community to drive change. Vestiaire Collective champions circular fashion and encourages people to prioritize sustainability by building an emotional attachment to chosen fashion pieces and, when ready to move on, sell them – therefore, extending their lifespan. We aim to educate consumers on sustainable practices and to achieve this, we have set clear goals to reduce carbon emissions and avoid the environmental costs of producing new items.
M: What would you consider the motivation behind your latest campaign to be and what is its prevailing message?
SV: We wanted to draw attention to the devastating environmental and social impact of fast fashion and to implore our customers to stop buying it. By banning brands like Zara, we raised awareness surrounding the enormous textile waste the fast fashion industry produces—92 million tons annually—and encouraged alternatives to this overproduction and overconsumption. The message of our campaign titled “Think First, Buy Second,” educates consumers about the dangers of fast fashion by showing its environmental impact through visual AI representations of landfills in cities. This enables them to imagine what it would be like if an overwhelming amount of fashion waste showed up on their doorstep. It’s one of our most successful campaigns, reaching over 22 Million people.
M: What kind of response has your “Swap this for that” initiative received? Were consumers surprised with the findings released in your 2024 Circularity Report?
SV: The “Swap This for That” campaign was well received, emphasising the environmental and financial benefits of swapping fast fashion for highly durable, well-loved and timeless luxury items. Consumers were notably surprised by the 2024 Circularity Report‘s revelations, particularly with the introduction of a metric designed by Vestiaire Collective called “Cost-Per-Wear”. According to the report, second-hand items could offer a cost-per-wear of 33% lower than fast fashion, challenging the affordability narrative surrounding fast fashion.
M: Would you mind elaborating on some of Vestiaire’s brand partnerships and how they align with your sustainable vision?
SV: As a leader in fashion circularity, we launched our Resale As A Service in early 2021 to help other luxury brands on their journey to promote circularity. Our partners include Chloe, Burberry and Alexander McQueen. Our Chloe partnership is also of particular note. It’s the first partnership of its kind in the industry. Through a unique and innovative digital ID, a technology powered by EON, customers can scan the labels of Chloe products with a smartphone, enabling them to trace their items from the field to the finished piece. It will also grant them access to an ownership certificate which will allow direct resale through Vestiaire Collective and detailing product care & repair information. Three product categories are included for this first launch: bags, shoes, and RTW, and Chloé’s suppliers and manufacturers have been involved in every step of the project.
M: How does ‘fashion activism’ and the fashion activist badge you award to members play an important role at Vestiaire?
SV: Vestiaire Collective promotes ‘fashion activism’ by encouraging its community to adopt sustainable consumption habits. The fashion activist badge, awarded to members, symbolises their commitment to this cause, rewarding those who make conscious choices, like purchasing second-hand or participating in the resale market. By extending the life of a piece by just nine months, members can reduce its ecological footprint by 30%, driving significant positive change in the fashion industry.
M: What’s next for Vestiaire Collective?
SV: In the U.S., we recently joined American Circular Textiles, a coalition of circular fashion companies that have banded together to establish U.S. leadership in textile waste and circular fashion policy. With them, we recently petitioned against the double taxation of secondhand goods. To celebrate Climate Week and to show our support towards other conscious fashion brands, we will host a special panel in New York City on September 24th with sustainable fashion designer Mara Hoffman. Then, in November, we will launch the third wave of our Fast Fashion Ban.
All images courtesy of Vestiaire Collective.
