Vestiaire Collective dumps clothes from H&M and Zara in front of MBS as part of fashion ban

Online pre-loved luxury goods marketplace Vestiaire Collective has unveiled a new movement to champion sustainable fashion.

Launching a global campaign, titled "Think first, buy second", the company will be removing brands such as H&M, Zara, Uniqlo, Mango, Gap from its platform. The movement aims to bring to light the pressing issues of textile waste and fashion overconsumption.

According to Vestiaire Collective, the year 2023 marks the second year of its Fast Fashion Ban which brings its list of banned brands to 63. This year’s campaign also invites users to be a part of the movement in light of the upcoming Black Friday sale.

The campaign is leveraging on AI technology, will include a video and visuals of piles of clothes located in some of the most recognisable locations such as Marina Bay Sands, Times Square, or The Eiffel Tour to replicate what textile waste and landfills would look like in consumers' own countries.

The company also posted a video on its social media page, panning to show the view of New York City, with the logo of different fast fashion brands appearing on the billboards as pieces of clothing fall from the sky to fill up the streets.

The campaign will also encourage social media users to take the pledge in an effort to turn Black Friday into a Better Friday. Participants can choose between pledging to only buy second-hand this Better Friday, until the end of the year, in 2024 or to stick to second-hand forever.

Vestiaire Collective also gathered key industry experts to help build a framework defining fast fashion based on the five criteria fueling overproduction and overconsumption:

1. Low price point: estimated average price point, also considering the repairability component

2. Intense renewal rate: the estimated number of collections or number of new items drops per year

3. Wide product range size: the number of items available at a given moment

4. Speed to market: the production cycle time, from designing phase to finished goods in store

5. Strong promotion intensity: the frequency and intensity of sale promotions

Don’t miss: Alexander McQueen and Vestiaire Collective debut sustainable luxury initiative

According to the company, the fashion industry produces 100 billion garments every year. As people consume more and wear less of such clothing, 92 million tons of textile waste gets discarded on a yearly basis. It also noted that banning fast fashion only works if consumers shop more consciously, and the company encourages buyers to think critically about their purchasing habits and the true impact of their choices.

As such, Vestiaire Collective created an educational journey for buyers and sellers who will see informational messages at every step of their shopping or listing experience. They will also receive practical alternatives for their existing fast fashion items via an online guide with resources for donation strategies and sustainability insights.

Vestiaire Collective has always stood strong in its belief to champion sustainability through second-hand fashion. Last year, luxury label Alexander McQueen and luxury reseller Vestiaire Collective came together on a new initiative to support sustainability in the fashion retail space.

Developed to push the industry toward adopting more eco-friendly practices, the debut of the "Brand Approved" programme marries Vestiaire's commitment to circular retail with Alexander McQueen's approach to durability in luxury fashion.

At the launch, selected clients of Alexander McQueen were contacted and given the opportunity to sell back their previously-owned garments, which will then be authenticated by the brand with the offer for a buy-back price.

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