“A big shift in thinking.”
Holly, owner of the One Scope store in Stoke Newington, London, said: “I’ve been selling second-hand clothes for 25 years, first through eBay and Market Wonders.
“There is definitely a big change in attitude towards secondhand clothing. The demand is huge now, and the sector is set to overtake fast fashion in the next couple of years – I certainly wouldn’t have predicted this when I started selling vintage clothes at the age of 14!
“Consumers who have never had secondhand before are now actively shopping this way, I think mostly because stores like mine make it easy to do so. In the past you had to trawl the charity shops and markets, now so many businesses are doing the hard work for you.
‘A brand that provides a platform for SMEs’
Love Island’s partnership with eBay saw contestants on the show wearing trendy clothes from independent sellers on the ecommerce platform.
Alan Thomas, UK CEO at Simply Business, said: “Love Island is watched by so many across the UK, so I’m delighted to see them choose to partner with a brand that provides a platform for SMEs. This has already had a direct impact on consumer searches – meaning searches for ‘sustainable brands’ increased by 100 per cent in the first week of the show’s release. It is also encouraging to see a 23% increase in independent fashion SMEs in our data over the last 12 months.
“Small businesses are vital to the UK economy. They are the lifeblood of our local communities and collectively contribute trillions of pounds a year. The boom in sustainable fashion businesses is a testament to the growth and innovation the UK SME community is capable of, and it has never been more important for us to champion them.”
If you want to open an online store, our how-to guide has tips on setting up an ecommerce platform (including eBay) and other practical steps you need to know.
Got a sustainable fashion business? Let us know your experience in the comments section below.
