Fjällräven launches second-hand market to increase sustainability and reduce waste

Swedish outdoor clothing brand Fjällräven recently launched a new program called Fjällräven Pre-Loved, a direct sales platform where you can buy and sell second-hand clothing, bags and equipment from the brand.

This new initiative, powered by Archive Resale, aims to extend the life of products and reduce waste, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to a circular economy in the outdoor and apparel sector.

This is evidenced by Tradera’s Circular Brands 2024 report, which recognizes brands that have made significant progress toward sustainability. For the third year in a row, the brand has come out on top in both the general apparel industry and the outdoor apparel categories.

“Since 1960, Fjällräven has championed the creation of durable, sustainable products,” says Nathan Dopp, the brand’s CEO. “We strive to make our products last for generations. Reselling is a natural evolution of this philosophy, allowing us to reduce waste and save resources while honoring our craftsmanship.”

Fjällräven’s sustainability initiatives have already proven successful, particularly in product repairs. The brand repaired 8,531 items in 2023 – up from just 3,556 in 2021.

A commitment to repair and reuse is at the heart of Fjällräven’s mission to minimise environmental impact and provide customers with durable outdoor equipment.

Fjällräven’s Pre-Loved initiative is part of a growing trend of brands exploring resale as a viable business model. Archive Resale supports over 50 global brands implementing or expanding resale initiatives, including New Balance, The North Face, Faherty and more.

On the consumer side, interest in such initiatives is promising. Data from ThredUp shows that the U.S. resale market is expected to reach $73 billion by 2028, reflecting changing consumer preferences for more sustainable and affordable purchasing options.

But if you ask Kate Nightingale, Chief Behavioral Officer and Founder of Humanising Brands, you’ll find that sometimes there’s a disconnect between what shoppers expect and what they want. to talk they want and what they actually want Down when it comes to sustainable development.

“This is fundamentally an intention-behavior gap issue, where many consumers say they want to be more sustainable but don’t follow through with their purchases,” she said. “Socioeconomic uncertainty makes this problem even worse.”

Still, Archive found that customers who make resale purchases tend to have higher customer lifetime value—often two to three times higher—than those who only shop at full-price.

Additionally, their data shows that over 60% of retailers participating in these programs prefer brand credit over cash, often returning to the store and spending three times as much with the brand.

Danielle Vermeer, co-founder and CEO of Teleport, agrees, saying that branded resale, supported by resale-as-a-service startups, allows brands to acquire new customers, test new revenue channels and achieve sustainability goals.

“It’s understandable that Fjällräven is investing in its own second-hand experience, as data shows that there are already more than 11,000 products listed on resale platforms such as Poshmark and eBay,” she said.

“Until recently, brands have been disinterested (at best) or hostile (at worst) towards customers reselling their products on secondary markets.”

Looking to the future, secondary and resale markets offer an interesting new avenue for both consumers and brands. Let’s hope that Fjällräven’s latest initiative is one of many we can expect from brands across the fashion vertical.