Since starting Two Design Lovers we’ve had our antennae up looking at what’s going on in this very exciting space.
While our focus is very much on furniture and home decor resale (you can take a look at our store here: www.twodesignlovers.com and see more about us below) we believe the trends emerging in the fashion industry show an exciting shift in consumer behaviour. It’s a great time to be a conscious consumer and, don’t worry, there’s not a scrap of tie-dye in sight. So get on board!
“Shopping ethically has often been perceived as a luxury, because of the price points…The good news is that we now live in the golden age of secondhand shopping.”
– Elizabeth Segran, Fast Company
Gucci boots, anyone?
If you haven’t yet taken a browse around The RealReal or Vestiaire Collective you don’t know what you’re missing out on! These are consignment marketplaces for authentic, upscale second hand designer gear. The RealReal is a US based online operation which also has physical stores and drop off points. Vestiaire Collective is out of France and works a little differently in that owners upload their items and hold them until sold then everything is shipped to a checking point before being sent to the buyer. The range on both of these platforms is immense and everything can be delivered to Australia! We did a little ‘market research’ with a pair of Gucci boots and a Theory coat and were mightily impressed by the quality and service.
Just three of the 2007 (!!) pairs of Gucci boots currently available on Vestiaire Collective
It’s not only luxury brands that are being traded. ThredUP in the US has become a leader in the resale clothing market, with technology and systems capable of processing up to 100,000 unique items for resale every day (!!). Their ‘Clean Out Kit’ makes it easy for anyone to joyfully clear out their wardrobe ala Marie Kondo and behave responsibly and sustainably in the process. Second hand used to be associated with trash but now it really is ‘another man’s treasure’.
Marie Kondo has contributed to the resale revolution
According to the latest ThredUP report, ‘resale powers apparel rotation not accumulation.’ ie, buy and sell and buy, as opposed to buy buy buy. The trends show fundamental changes in how we approach buying clothes. Variety, sustainability and affordability no longer need to be competing interests of avid shoppers. What that means is the resale market is a serious competitor to fast fashion chain stores and in fact is predicted to out strip fast fashion by 2028.
Resale is set to out perform fast fashion by 2028
This is all very welcome news for the environment. In 2017 we might have had an average of 164 items of clothing in our closet. That number has now shrunk down to an average of 136 items. By allowing people to easily sell items online, it’s no longer necessary to own as much. We can wear something and turn it over when we’ve had enough of the look.
According to ThredUP, the trend is for less ownership and accumulation and more rotation
Combating waste and pollution in fashion manufacturing makes sense. It is estimated that the textile industry will account for 25% of the global carbon budget by 2050! But, buying one used fashion item reduces its carbon footprint by 82%.
“By helping to increase the use of clothing, resale can play a key role in making fashion circular. Raising the average number of times clothing is worn is the most direct way to design out waste and pollution and capture value.”
– Francois Souchet, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Make Fashion Circular Lead
Support local entrepreneurs
Australia is not being left behind in this space. We have various start-ups following suit as well as offline consignment stores taking their selection online. It would be great to see growing support for our local enterprises as the irony of purchasing second hand from an international site is the disastrous environmental footprint of global shipping.
For the fashion conscious, here are a few local options to consider from the comfort of home before heading to the mall –
And on Instagram, amongst a plethora of options, are Sydney faves @trading_in_style and @hockyourfrocks
For the love of furniture
Resale and new ownership models are also playing a role in helping the furniture industry move towards a circular economy. Just like our fashion friends, by creating a simpler and more accessible way to buy and sell pre-loved furniture and home decor, we can reduce waste, make better use of items that have already been produced and monetise what we don’t need. It’s a win-win for the environment and for consumers’ bank balances.
The resale market offers so many positive shopping experiences. Here are our top 3:
1. Fun. It’s so much more fun to browse through an eclectic selection than a store that offers the same model in 5 colours. As each piece is unique, there are a lot more opportunities to put your own stamp on your home decorating scheme when you mix in pre-loved pieces. Mainstream retailers who struggle to please everyone end up presenting a bland and safe selection which is, well… downright boring.
2. Value for money. There are many and varied reasons why someone wants to sell a piece of designer furniture but the bottom line is, they want it gone. There’s no better way to pick up authentic designer pieces at a fraction of their retail value than in the resale market.
3. Curated. The best resale sites do the hard work for you by filtering out the junk. The selection is then arranged so that you can filter down to exactly what you are looking for and have it delivered to your door.
Two Design Lovers is a new Australian online resale marketplace for buyers and sellers of quality furniture. Take a look at www.twodesignlovers.com.
We aim to give conscious consumers who appreciate quality and design an option for buying and selling outside of the regular marketplaces like Gumtree and eBay. Our curated mix of second hand, new and ex-display furniture and decor has a focus on quality.
We love well made items that stand the test of time and have an inherent value owing to their craftsmanship and material integrity.
Just sold on Two Design Lovers is this pre-loved Dressing Table, handcrafted in Australia with beautiful attention to detail
Variety, affordability and accessibility are key factors in the appeal of the resale market. With a range that includes vintage to high end contemporary pieces, there is something for every savvy design hunter. It’s all available now and prices include delivery to Sydney and Melbourne metro areas.
Styles from vintage to contemporary on Two Design Lovers including, L to R, Kone chair, Milling Road mirror, Koskela sofa
If you want to see how online resale furniture marketplaces outside Australia look, we’re fans of interior designer favourite sites like pomono.com from Berlin, and US based chairish.com and sothebyshome.com.
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