H&M to bring second-hand collection at London store

The plan is to encourage the reuse and recycling of garments. H&M said that the garments will be sourced from Flamingos Vintage Kilo, a company that runs second-hand vintage clothes stores in Europe and the United States. The clothes are expected to be priced from 29.99 pounds (about $37) to 189 pounds. H&M has acknowledged that it is “part of the problem”, and that the way fashion is produced and consumed needs to change.

It will be the second H&M store to offer second-hand clothes, after Barcelona which opened earlier this year. Additionally, the company has an online second-hand offering in Sweden and Germany. H&M also launched a clothing rental service at its Regent Street store in November last year.

Meanwhile, last week another clothing giant Zara launched its online second-hand service in France, having trialled it in Britain since November last year.

The big question is, will other brands follow suit? Imagine a world where your favourite brands unite for sustainability, offering pre-loved fashion finds that make you look fabulous while also saving the planet.

So, why are these big fast fashion brands selling second-hand clothes? It is largely due to growing concerns about the dark side of the fashion industry. According to the UN, the average person buys 60 percent more clothing than 15 years ago. Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is dumped in a landfill. Not to mention, to make one pair of jeans, it takes close to 8,000 litres of water. Even a simple cotton shirt requires close to 3,000 litres of water. Moreover, the fashion industry is the second-most polluting industry — coming in right behind big oil. The fashion industry not only produces 10 percent of global carbon emissions but also contributes 20 percent of wastewater production.

As consumers increasingly prioritise ethical and eco-conscious choices, it's evident that H&M and Zara's initiative resonates with changing preferences.