World environment day: resale, the new frontier of sustainable fashion

Paris, June 5, 2025 – In a world where the climate emergency can no longer be ignored, World Environment Day brings one truth back to the forefront: the fashion industry must evolve. Fast.

While 76% of French consumers say they want more responsible fashion, a paradox remains. The intention is there, but behaviors don’t always follow. It’s in this gap between ideals and reality that resale is gaining new ground: more than an alternative, it’s becoming a structural lever, culturally, economically, and environmentally.

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A more conscious consumer… not always aligned with their wallet

The gap between ecological commitment and purchasing power is now a sociological reality.

“I’d like to only buy ethical pieces, but when jeans cost €180, I end up choosing something more affordable,” admits Léa, 31.
Karim, 26, adds nuance: “Resale helps me stay true to my values without breaking the bank.”

These testimonials highlight a daily balancing act between values, budget, and style.
Resale doesn’t oppose new fashion, it complements it. It allows people to:

– Buy higher-quality, longer-lasting items at a better price

– Reduce their carbon footprint without sacrificing style

– Bring meaning back into their purchases, beyond impulse

In other words: resale reconnects desire, utility, and awareness.

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Brands: From producers to stewards of product life cycles

Integrating resale into your business model isn’t a feel-good CSR gesture anymore. It’s a structural shift.

Brands that embrace it are no longer just creators, they become responsible for the entire life cycle of their products.

This means:
– Designing garments to last (in material, construction, finish)

– Planning for returns (take-back, repair, reintegration)

– Maximizing usage value over short-term sell-through

The garment is no longer disposable. It’s a circulating asset, designed to live several lives.

This shift also redefines the brand’s role: it’s no longer just selling a product, it’s enabling a durable usage system, where the initial sale is only the beginning.

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Less CO₂, more impact: when fashion extends product life

The environmental potential of resale is no longer hypothetical.

In 2024, brands that structured a circular program helped avoid several thousand tons of CO₂ emissions.
This is the direct result of longer product life, optimized logistics, and avoided overproduction.

Key facts:

– Reusing a garment instead of producing a new one can save up to 80% of its carbon footprint

– A resold item typically gains an additional 2 to 4 years of use, depending on how it's worn

Each reused item is a step closer to a less extractive, more regenerative industry.

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From taboo to no-brainer

Just ten years ago, second-hand shopping was seen as a fallback option. Today, it’s a growing form of style, culture, and self-expression.

“Wearing second-hand used to be frowned upon. Now, it shows taste,” says Maud, 42.
“I’d rather buy a beautiful piece that’s lived, than a brand-new one that won’t last the season,” adds Hugo, 37.

For younger generations, and not only them, pre-loved means authenticity, and wear adds value.

Resale is no longer a compromise. It’s a smart, stylish, and conscious choice.

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Rethinking the entire chain, not just the product

Resale won’t fix everything. But it forces a full reset.

For a product to circulate, it must be:

– Well-designed

– Well-maintained

– Easy to pass on

Which requires transforming:

– Design (durability, repairability)

– Logistics (collection, sorting, reconditioning)

– Customer experience (perceived value, product history, after-sales service)

This isn’t a detail. It’s a reinvention of the brand ecosystem.

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Conclusion: Fashion isn’t ending. It’s changing pace

Slowing down doesn’t mean giving up. It means choosing a better rhythm — more sustainable, more desirable.

Resale isn’t a threat. It’s an answer.
To the climate crisis.
To inflation.
To the loss of meaning.

It’s an opportunity to redefine fashion as a space for culture, commitment, and beauty — in the present and for the future.

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