The market for used fashion is now one of the fastest growing commercial sectors. Posti dedicates September to used fashion and launches the Secondhand September campaign together with Emmy, Kalevala Pidetty, Marimekko Pre-loved, Tori, and Vähänkäytetty.fi.
The campaign marks the first time that very different companies have joint forces to grow the popularity of used fashion. It encourages to consume more sustainably and to create your style with secondhand fashion.
Customers are offered promotions in the participating companies’ online stores during September. Posti offers discounts for sending parcels.
66% of Finnish closets are dormant assets
The popularity of used goods is growing quickly. The phenomenon is explained by the changing values of consumers, the want to make financially smart decisions, and the changing attitudes toward secondhand goods. 1.4 million listings were added to Tori this July, which is 14.1 per cent more than in the previous summer.
”Tori has had the most active summer of all time, and the same trend seems to continue. It’s important for us to be a place where operators regardless of their category can buy and sell used goods,” says Tori’s director of corporate sales, Ville Saxen.
Emmy and Vähänkäytetty.fi also believe that the potential on the market is huge.
“There is a large amount of dormant assets in closets. Currently 66% of clothes are dormant, meaning people have no plans to use them. By doubling the current usage period of clothes, we could decrease the emissions of the textile industry by 40%,” says Emmy CEO Timo Huhtamäki.
“The market for used goods is experiencing big growth. I would encourage people to let go of their prejudice and try buying used instead of new, because it is often a positive surprise. After all, we sleep in used sheets when we go to the hotel, too,” says Vähänkäytetty.fi CEO Ossi Salo.
For companies, secondhand is an opportunity to reach new clients and fulfill values
Secondhand also offers opportunities to brands that have traditionally sold new items. Kalevala Pidetty and Marimekko Pre-loved are services for used fashion that became popular quickly and offer the companies a new way to reach customers.
“Pidetty gives the possibility to make an impact with your choices and support circular economy. Our products were made to last from one generation to another, and Pidetty jewelry goes through maintenance from our goldsmiths and is sold as good as new,” says Kalevala’s commercial director Lea Aarinen-Koski.
“Our Marimekko Pre-loved resale service helps customers prolong our products’ lives. Our goal is that timeless and durable Marimekko products give joy to many consumers during their lifespan,” says the director of Marimekko’s Innovation Works unit, Suvi-Elina Enqvist.
“We follow e-commerce development in Posti from a front-row seat and see how the popularity of secondhand has changed consumer behavior permanently. Our job is to ensure that used treasures find their way to new homes across Finland,” says Elina Rosenlund, who oversees Posti’s consumer-to-consumer parcel.
Based on a survey conducted by Gaia Consulting for Posti in 2019, four fifths of emissions caused during the lifespan of a t-shirt are created in manufacturing. “Every product that gets a new life is a significant decrease in the emissions of creating new products,” says Rosenlund.
Sustainability is a central part of Posti’s strategy, values, and purpose. Our sustainability program is built around two key themes: that we do not harm the environment and that people are well. We have committed to decreasing our own emissions into zero and transporting fossil-free by 2030.
More information about Secondhand September:
More on Posti’s sustainability: posti.com/sustainability