Zara Pre-owned: Another step towards sustainability

Commitment to new markets and sustainability

Zara Pre-owned is already available in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Croatia and the United States, among others. The aim of the system is to provide customers with a convenient platform for the reuse of excess clothing, which allows customers to contribute to reducing environmental impact. The brand also placed great emphasis on social media communication, drawing attention to the new system with a TikTok video.

Uncertain situation in Bangladesh garment industry

Zara’s sustainability moves come at a time when Bangladesh’s garment industry, one of the largest global supply hubs, is facing major challenges. In the country, production is hampered by political unrest, demonstrations, even the burning of factories and internet outages. Mohiuddin Rubel, director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said the situation could undermine the confidence of brands. Thai purchasing specialist Kyaw Sein estimated that this year’s exports could drop by 10-20%.

Mixed results in the global fashion market

Global fashion giants including H&M and Zalando have seen mixed results recently. H&M fell short of expected quarterly results and was forced to revise its profit margin target. Although the company remains committed to achieving its target of 10% operating margin by 2024, current market conditions make this increasingly difficult.

Meanwhile, Zalando looks to the future with a more optimistic outlook. The number of active customers of the online fashion giant exceeded 50 million, which supports the success of the ecosystem strategy. The company achieved growth in gross merchandise volume, revenue and adjusted EBIT, which provides it with a more stable position in the changing market environment.

The introduction of the Zara Pre-owned service is one of the latest examples of how major players in the fashion industry are paying more and more attention to sustainability. For customers, this provides a new opportunity to make responsible decisions, while for brands it offers a tool to respond to climate protection expectations.