John Lewis launches pre-loved childrenswear in-store with TheLittleLoop

John Lewis is continuing to roll out sustainable fashion initiatives with a new partnership with British pre-loved and rented children’s clothing platform TheLittleLoop to launch a second-hand children’s clothing concession within its London flagship store on Oxford Street.

The space will be located on the kids’ floor of the store, featuring pre-loved clothing for babies and children between 0-6 years of age, including dresses, jumpers, jackets and T-shirts, with prices starting at 5 pounds.

Each garment will be categorised into Brand New, Excellent, Very Good and Good, and pricing will be determined based on the item’s condition and approximate retail price. John Lewis adds that on average customers will save 60 percent of the cost of buying new.

In addition, customers can pick up a pouch to take home and fill with their children’s pre-loved items and post them directly to TheLittleLoop and receive a 5-pound credit per full bag to spend back at TheLittleLoop online.

Danielle Gagola, innovation lead at John Lewis, said in a statement: “Bringing resale options like TheLittleLoop into shops is a great way to encourage more of our customers to purchase in a more sustainable and affordable way.

“Children grow out of clothes so quickly, that often they can be left in the back of wardrobes. With TheLittleLoop we’re encouraging customers to purchase second hand clothing, and they can also pick up a bag to trade in their outgrown clothing in return for store credit too. We’re hoping customers will support this and drive change in the way they shop.”

The move follows a rise in demand for pre-loved clothing, with second-hand clothing sales on track to make up ten percent of the global fashion market next year, according to a report by GlobalData for ThredUp.

Charlotte Morley, founder of TheLittleLoop, added: “This is an amazing opportunity to bring TheLittleLoop to the high street through one of Britain's best-loved brands.

“Over 84 percent of parents are now using online apps to shop second-hand for their children's clothing but not everyone finds it easy or trusts the quality of clothes sent in the post. So, we're delighted to be able to bring it to life and help even more people to experience the joy of preloved.”

The pre-loved childrenswear concession adds to recently launched sustainable initiatives at John Lewis, including the introduction of pre-loved designer handbags online, sourced and supplied by Sign of the Times, and second-hand jewellery by Chanel, Christian Dior, Saint Laurent and Gucci.