Finnish design house Marimekko will launch its new community-driven resale and vintage marketplace, Pre-loved, on Aug. 25, 2022 in partnership with Archive. The debut follows a pilot concept that began one year ago with Marimekko selling 60 unique vintage pieces online to celebrate the brand’s 70th anniversary. The program’s goal is to increase the lifespan of Marimekko products, a key element of the company’s sustainability strategy.
Joining and listing items on the platform will be free, and sellers will be able to either redeem their earnings for cash or receive a gift voucher for Marimekko’s online store. At launch, Pre-loved will only be available in Finland, but Marimekko plans to expand the service to other markets in the near future.
The secondhand retail sector is projected to double over the next five years, reaching $82 billion by 2026, according to the 10th annual ThredUP Resale Report. There’s certainly been plenty of activity in this space: a number of retail brands across several verticals have launched or expanded resale initiatives in recent months, including:
- Saks OFF 5th and Rent the Runway providing access to hundreds of styles from 60+ designer brands at up to 85% off MSRP;
- Eddie Bauer and ThredUP adding resale to the retailer’s (Re)Adventure program beginning this month;
- Secondhand furniture reseller Kaiyo’s expansion to the West Coast in July 2022;
- DICK’S Sporting Goods’ April 2022 launch of its Out&Back program for reselling outdoor and adventure gear;
- lululemon’s expansion of its Like New trade-in and resale program in April 2022; and
- The April 2022 expansion of Canadian baby gear resale marketplace Rebelstork into the U.S.
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