INTERVIEW #1 ÅTERÄLSKAT
I had the opportunity to meet Emelie on Instagram, she mentioned her business idea and her passion about making second hand more available for everyone. I recognised myself in her, young and with a lot of business ideas to make the world a more sustainable place. We met over a coffee so I could get to know her and her new start-up better. I love these kind of meetings, people who decide to take things in their own hand! Återälskat is online second hand shop with selected items for people who love dressing well and consciously! Enjoy the interview!
Why did you start Återälskat?
I believe it should be simple to achieve a sustainable closet. My goal with this company is to make it easier for shoppers because I think it is hard for a lot of people to just quit fast fashion and go to second hand instead. Obviously there are different ways to acheive a sustainabloe closet. My idea for this company starteda round the thought of sending out a box where you can buy secondhand clothes, where you can pick your size and write a note about what type of style, colour or materials the shopper prefers. I have also chosen to sell every piece of clothing on its own as well.
My whole idea builds on the foundation of that it should be easy and available to chose secondhand. I’ve already done the sorting, cleaning and quality checks so nothing should be ugly or dirty. All the pieces should be like new and of high quality materials and cuts.
How do you pick your products?
I chose the products mostly after the material it is made from as I want things to last. Also, I make sure to chose a cut that is timeless and will incorporate in a lot of peoples closets. I mostly look for pieces made from natural materials. When choosing pieces to add to my shop I will also pick things that are unique and vintage. As for finding the pieces I will personally go into my local charity shops and find most of my stock there. Depending on my schedule I can spend between 2-4 hours a week looking for new pieces. It feels good to buy my stock from places I know give back to the community and help others, and my goal is to give another 5% of the profits from the shop to charity.
What has been/and are the major challenges?
The biggest challendes is to get people to understand why they should choose secondhand in the first place. A lot of people have a hard time adjusting and taking in information about their clothing choices and lifestyle. I do not want to focus on the negatives and ”green-bash” people for not knowing how to live sustainably. It’s a journey everyone needs to figure out how they can do it best. It would be good to find some kind of platform where one could share all the positives and support people who want to learn. My dream going forwards would be to have a showroom where the secondhand-sceptics could come and try the clothes and see that there are actually some really good pieces out there.
What has been/is the largest gains? (in any means financial, spiritual.. )
As I am still in the starting phase not much has happend on the financial front… yet! But my confidence has grown as I’m actually trying to work on my long-time dream of starting a sustainable business. Also I’ve got to speak to some great, like-minded people. I gained a new friend because someone bought one of my Preloved Boxes and I spent an evening styling her in her new gear.
What do you think needs to change now in the fashion industry to make it more sustainable?
Everything needs to change, or at leat re-boot! How clothes are made, who makes them and under what circumstances, how textiles are made, the impact of materials and how consumers think. For me it’s a matter of using what you got, and if you need something it is always secondhand first hand! That should be the norm! I also think that we need more companies, Repamera as an example, that work on mending clothes, and who know maybe we can re-instate tailors, cobblers and the use of seweing machines?
What do you believe is “greenwashing” and what can producers and consumers do to avoid it?
This is such a difficult topic! Greenwashing is all around us in media and advertisment wanting us to buy things that seem to be sustainable. I think it is good that the big, well known companies are working towards a more sustainable supply chain. Like HM Conscious for example, they use tencel and organic cotton, which is a step in the right direct but as a consumer you are still giving your money to a company who doesn’t have the environmental perspective on all of there collections.
To avoid being greenwashed as a consumer I believe more educational information needs to be available, and the consumer needs to be interested.
What would you advice consumers to do who seeks to create a sustainable closet and lifestyle?
Secondhand shopping hopefully means you buy more mindfully as you may need to practice thoughtfulness and take your time looking for the perfect piece. Maybe I didn’t need a new blouse after all? I usually have a list on my phone with things I am looking for to make it easier to find the pieces I really love and will cherish. Right now I’m looking for a leather coat and some cool vintage brooches.