At Moma Hilo, we’re always looking for ways to keep fashion circular, which is why we support The Re-Loved Club and their mission to extend the life of clothing through second-hand shopping and community-driven resale. Their values of craftsmanship, sustainability, and transparency align closely with ours. By championing pre-loved fashion, The Re-Loved Club helps reduce waste and makes conscious shopping more accessible - an approach we wholeheartedly embrace. We recently sat down with Vicky and Paula, founders of The Re-Loved Club, to talk about their journey, community, and the importance of keeping fashion in circulation.
Penelope: What led you to start The Re-Loved Club, and how has your passion for second-hand shopping shaped the vision for the market?
V & P: We know that there are some amazing clothes unloved in people’s wardrobes and we started The Re-Loved Club as a way of helping these items find new homes. There’s no better buzz than finding a second hand item that’s unique, and often better quality than we could afford new, it’s just knowing where to look. Our goal is to make shopping pre-loved more accessible, and a nice excuse to meet up with neighbours for a catch up at the same time.
Penelope: How do you think buying and selling pre-loved clothing contributes to a more sustainable fashion culture?
V & P: If all UK adults bought half of their next wardrobe second-hand, it could prevent a whopping 12.5 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions entering the atmosphere, new Oxfam research reveals.
So, it’s quite simple: The more we can shop second hand, the longer we’re keeping clothing in circulation, reducing the amount of waste that’s sent to oversaturated landfill sites. The Kantamanto Market in Accra for instance sees 15 million garments coming through every week with 40% of the clothing that is unbaked leaving the market as waste in piles of landfill and in bodies of water polluting entire ecosystems.
Shifting consumer behaviour towards second hand maximises the amount of wear in garments that are in circulation already. It helps to reduce landfill, reduces the amount of carbon emissions created by the production and transportation of clothing.
Penelope: Community is an important part of your model. How do you see The Re-Loved Club creating a sense of belonging among both buyers and sellers, and why is this important?
V & P: There’s definitely a very strong community amongst both our buyers and sellers and people come not just to shop, but to catch up with familiar faces. Buyers chat to each other and often tell us they’ve had a fun day out aside from selling clothes and there’s always some great styling advice from fellow friends and shoppers.
"If all UK adults bought half of their next wardrobe second-hand, it could prevent a whopping 12.5 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions entering the atmosphere"
Penelope: We know many people only wear a small fraction of their wardrobe regularly. What role do you think resale markets like The ReLoved Club play in encouraging people to rethink their approach to buying and owning clothes?
V & P: Most of us wear 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time so our events give a fresh take on those unworn clothes at the back of our wardrobes and hopefully another chance to be worn and cherished by someone else. We don’t expect people to find their entire wardrobe, but it’s about finding one off pieces that enhance what we already have.
To us, It’s about offering a great alternative to the high street so that everyone can incorporate second hand into their clothes shopping routine easily.
Penelope: There’s something special about finding a pre-loved piece that feels like it has a story to tell. How do you think this element of discovery adds to the appeal of shopping at The ReLoved Club?
V & P: The lovely thing about buying direct from the person selling is that the buyer has the opportunity to find out the history of that garment and that purchase can feel even more special.
Penelope: What’s the atmosphere like at your events, and how does this setting create a different experience for shoppers compared to more traditional retail environments?
V & P: There’s always a good music playlist (curated by Nia Roberts (@sixpencil5) at our events which people seem to like. People drop in, bring their dog, chat to neighbours and there’s always a friendly second opinion if they’re undecided on a purchase. The sense of community is what sets The Re-Loved Club apart from other traditional retail environments.
Penelope: Can you share a memorable or unique item that’s come through The ReLoved Club that you feel perfectly embodies the spirit of the market?
V & P: We love it when people come up to us in the street and point at what they’re wearing and say ‘I got it at The Re-Loved Club’ and this is happening more and more.
We’ve had people buy outfits to wear to special events: weddings, Glastonbury and stylists have been using our sales to source for productions and shoots. A blazer bought at The Re-Loved Club was featured in a new BBC series coming to air soon. But the most important sales are the items that just fit effortlessly into a new wardrobe bringing new outfit possibilities and joy to the new owner.
Penelope: How do you ensure that a wide range of items - ranging from high street to high-end - find their way to your rails, and how do you think this mix helps make second-hand shopping more accessible to different shoppers?
V & P: We keep a record of who is selling with us, so we can try to make sure there is a selection of price points and sizes, but this is always something we’d like to improve on.
Penelope: For people who might be new to second-hand shopping, what would you say to encourage them to step into the world of resale and consider it a valuable alternative to fast fashion?
V & P: If you’re willing to put in a little extra effort to look through the rails, then you’re likely to be rewarded with a better quality item for a fraction of the price and it’s so much more rewarding than heading to the same shops on the high street. You don’t need to buy a whole wardrobe, just look for key second hand pieces to lift your existing wardrobe.
Penelope: What’s next for The ReLoved Club? Are there any exciting new directions or events on the horizon that you’re looking forward to?
V & P: We have 6 events planned at The Centre E17 in 2025, and may add more to the diary if opportunities arise!
Check out The Re-Loved Club's instagram for upcoming events here.
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