Pre-loved luxury is the sustainable fashion solution we’ve been looking for, writes Laura Barry.
Australia has a fashion problem. According to Clean Up Australia, each year we dispose of 23 kilograms of clothing in landfill per person, only to buy another 56 garments in the same period, usually made from non-sustainable materials. Our nation is now the second-highest consumer of textiles per person in the world and it doesn’t end at clothes; shoes and accessories also contribute to the problem. Fashion is one of the world’s highest-polluting industries and is responsible for an estimated 10 per cent of all global CO2 emissions. And we’re not just talking fast fashion. Our local luxury goods market is thriving and it also poses a threat to sustainable fashion.
Recent data obtained by business information provider IBISWorld suggests the growing demand for high-end fashion, accessories, and travel experiences is driven by rising household discretionary incomes and increasingly younger clientele. Data analyzed by Statista predicts Australia’s luxury fashion market will generate a revenue of AUD$4.6 billion in 2024. It’s an unsustainable cycle of consumption affecting all facets of the fashion industry and, ultimately, the planet on which we live. What’s the solution? Opting to purchase luxury goods from carefully curated pre-loved boutiques, a significant step toward embracing circular fashion practices.
What does sustainable fashion mean?
By and large, sustainable fashion refers to garments and products that are produced in ethical and environmentally friendly ways, and that adhere to circular fashion principles. That can include making garments from natural, eco-friendly or recycled materials; reducing and reusing waste produced in the manufacturing process; addressing overproduction and fast fashion by promoting the purchase of pre-loved goods and the mending or repurposing of existing goods.
What does circular fashion mean?
Circular fashion refers to a sustainable fashion system designed to minimise waste and environmental impact by ensuring that clothing and accessories are made, used and reused in a closed-loop cycle. This involves practices such as designing durable products, encouraging reuse, recycling materials, and buying pre-loved goods.
Travel operators become sustainable fashion trailblazers
The travel industry is ahead of the game when it comes to sustainable fashion. Ethical and eco-conscious experiences, practices, and technologies are already integrated into hotels, resorts, cruising, expeditions, safaris, and general touring. Unsurprisingly, the industry has made moves to reduce fashion waste, too. Pre-loved fashion concepts are now hosted by airports and top-end cruise lines, providing shoppers access to leather goods, watches, clothing, jewellery, and accessories while airside or at sea—another example of how circular fashion is making its way into mainstream markets.
Duty-free delights
Luxury retailer ARI was a pioneer in introducing pre-owned luxury into the context of airport shopping, opening the Preloved boutique at Montréal Duty-Free in 2021. The venture has been successful, and the company opened a second outpost at Lisbon Airport’s terminal one in January 2024. In November 2022, the digital luxury resale platform Hardly Ever Worn It popped up in the elite Terminal Five Lounge at London’s Heathrow Airport. The push for such pre-loved boutiques signals global interest in sustainable fashion initiatives.
“The preloved concept is still a relatively new one in travel retail, but it is going to significantly influence and shape the way people shop in the coming years,” said Richard Maynes, ARI global head of fashion and accessories. “Since the launch of our first preloved store at Montréal Duty-Free, the strong savings versus downtown prices, as well as rare and vintage styles that are no longer being produced, have inspired a real appetite from customers buying into our circular concept.”
Seafaring solutions
Cruise retailer Harding+ is known for its boutiques aboard Cunard, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, Oceania Cruises, and Princess Cruises, to name a few. Less publicised is that Harding+ has quietly placed pre-loved luxury boutiques into more than 20 ships over the past few years, with plans to debut a vintage lounge concept named ‘Reloved’ aboard a select few. LVMH-owned subsidiary Starboard Cruise Services also hosts a curated assortment of vintage luxury retail spaces in 73 ships across nine cruise lines in collaboration with luxury resale platform What Goes Around Comes Around, demonstrating a deep commitment to sustainable fashion aboard luxury liners.
In 2024, Cunard partnered with Circle of Style to offer 100 passengers the opportunity to buy a Cunard Capsule Cruise Collection, a pre-loved cruise wardrobe curated by a professional stylist with pre-loved pieces from a variety of high-end designers such as Chanel, Burberry, A.P.C., and Alexander McQueen. These initiatives illustrate how companies are championing sustainable fashion to cater to an audience eager to shop responsibly.
The enlightened shopper
It’s a retail shift that caters to a new and enlightened consumer. Australia’s second-hand luxury goods market is in the midst of a significant growth spurt, fed by shoppers turning to pre-owned items as a means to reduce their environmental footprint while investing in the superior craftsmanship that luxury maisons are famous for. Jane Thompson, director of luxury reseller Blue Spinach, says buying pre-loved items has gained prominence in the past five years, largely due to growing awareness of sustainable fashion ideals.
“We’ve noticed an increase in customers purchasing for sustainability reasons and being mindful of their choices,” she says. “Additionally, our products appeal to clients seeking unique, one-of-a-kind items that are no longer available new. The sustainable ideology has greatly impacted this trend. Social media and organisations have driven awareness of overconsumption, pushing for change and accountability in the fashion industry. The stigma associated with buying second-hand has diminished significantly, fuelling market growth.”
Miranda Gillespie, CEO and founder of high-end resale platform Luxe.It.Fwd, agrees.
“With more people aware of the harmful effects of overconsumption and fast fashion, there is increasing demand for durable, high-quality second-hand pieces built to last,” she says. “The aspect of sustainability is something the upper segment of consumers has become more aware of, and are now shifting to more conscious shopping. Every second-hand piece joins a circular fashion economy that keeps items out of landfills.”
Unexpected benefits of circular fashion
“The sales in the pre-loved market are rising considerably each year with no signs of slowing down,” says Gillespie. “Many elite fashion houses have control over who can buy items and when, with some even putting caps on purchases per year. This creates a situation where buying preloved is actually a more convenient option, allowing customers to own the bag they want right now.”
Adds Thompson, “One of the benefits of purchasing second-hand luxury is finding items that are no longer available new, such as limited editions or rare designs. It allows you to shop according to your own preferences, finding styles that suit you rather than following the latest trends. It’s about being the change you want to see in the world and supporting sustainable fashion. That way, we can all look forward to a better future.”
What is an example of circular fashion?
Buying pre-loved luxury goods is an example of circular fashion practices, as is having an older pair of shoes re-soled when worn out, or purchasing a garment fabricated from recycled materials. It’s all about extending the lifecycle of a product and keeping it out of landfills.
What are the 4 R’s of circular fashion?
Reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose are the cornerstones on which circular fashion concepts are built. That is; reduce your clothing and textile waste by restyling, mending, or altering the clothes you already have. Reuse can refer to simply purchasing refillable products that minimise extra packaging waste or handing your leather goods on to someone else to enjoy. Ensure clothes beyond saving are sent to be recycled and not to landfill, and that garments or items that can be repurposed – either into something new or different – are.
What are the three principles of circular fashion?
Circular fashion is a concept rooted in the belief that waste and pollution must be eliminated, that products should be kept in use (and reused) as long as possible, and that newly created products reduce the pressure on natural resources. As such, the three key principles in circular and sustainable fashion are to design with purpose, longevity and resource efficiency in mind.
What are the Rs of sustainable fashion?
- Reduce – reduce what you’re buying
- Refuse – refuse unnecessary, unsustainable or unethical clothing
- Reuse/Repurpose – reuse your own clothing, or donate, gift or sell it onwards for others to use
- Recycle – when a garment or product can no longer be repaired or reused, send it to be recycled
- Research – educate yourself on sustainable fashion and circular fashion practices
- Repair – repair what you own to extend its lifecycle
- Rent – instead of buying new clothes for a special event, rent them
- Rethink – rethink your fashion consumption habits and say goodbye to fast fashion
- Rot – some textiles can be composted, so consider this before recycling
This article originally appeared in volume 48 of Signature Luxury Travel & Style magazine. Subscribe to the latest issue today.
