Fast fashion frenzy: 62M Zara items on Vinted reveal the paradox of recommerce

The fashion recommerce market is veering off course. Stuart Trevor notes that brands like Zara (62M items), H&M (59.9M) and Shein (21.9M) reign supreme on Vinted, with 100K Zara items added daily… 😵‍💫

Whether driven by cost-consciousness or eco-guilt, Vinted’s latest Impact Report reveals that for 65% of its members, a quarter or more of their wardrobe is composed of secondhand items. Extending the life of garments is highly commendable, but the flood of fast fashion items on Vinted and its competitors signals that overconsumption and rapid turnover have reached recommerce. While Vinted reports to have cut 679 metric tons of CO2e in 2023, another report finds that fast fashion items only cut emissions by 0.7% through resale programs 📉

In response, Vestiaire Collective banned fast fashion brands last year and France is imposing penalties. But fast fashion continues to thrive — especially among trend-driven members of Gen Z, with Shein as a favorite. So, how will you help brands and consumers adopt a quality-over-quantity mindset, whatever point of sale they choose? One example of promoting intentional shopping: Eileen Fisher's Seasonal Planner.