Overstock news and archive

Making something new from something existing is 'in': This is upcycling

Which fashion designers are upcycling? How big is the upcycling movement? And how popular is it actually with the general public, i.e. the consumer? You can find more about upcycling in this background article. As always, we start at the beginning. Click on the icons in the text for more information. Contents • The meaning of upcycling (and how...

Fashion Featured

Saving clothes from landfill, two companies leading the way in war on waste

Two standout companies from Fashinnovation's 9th Worldwide Talks in September are determined to show us the value of what we already have. One works to ensure all discarded clothes are recycled, the other strives to make sure all unsold clothes get worn. The result is that neither old nor new clothing will end up in landfill, not on their watch....

Background|Long read

How (not) sustainable is the fashion industry?

Fashion and 'sustainability' don't actually go together. A garment is usually made in such a way that it quickly goes out of fashion. In the fashion industry there is not only stylistic obsolescence, but also technical obsolescence. Some clothing is of such low quality that it tears, pills or loses its colour after a few wears and washes. Ideal...

Business

What are the key challenges facing retailers since stores reopened?

Although retail footfall continues to rise, this recent boost to in-store shopping hasn’t, for the most part, come close to compensating for sales that migrated online. It also fails to resolve the unexpected volumes of inventory brands need to clear. Both trends only set to intensify as we approach what may be the worst recession in UK history....

Retail

Why re-commercing may be the new retail revolution

Excess inventory is not a new problem, but for retailers now, finding stock exit routes for SS20 collections is an absolute priority. It has changed from an accounting afterthought to a critical role in retail supply chains. Covid-19 has given the fashion industry the unique opportunity to entirely reset its value chains into more sustainable,...

BusinessPress ReleasePartner Content

Growing overstock: what to do about it?

As the government called for an extension of the intelligent lockdown, the uncertainty amongst the Dutch fashion industry grows. Now that the doors of brick-and-mortar shops remain closed, the biggest hurdle is to find new solutions for the growing overstock. What this problem predominantly reveals is the need for collaboration, for creative...

Retail

Managing unsold products: what happens to surplus stock?

Across the globe, stores are being affected by country-wide lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the situation presenting fashion stores with several challenges, including the dilemma of what to do with unsold stock. While the issue has been particularly significant in the fast-fashion sector, small businesses have also been impacted,...

BusinessFeatured

France to prohibit the destruction of unsold stock: who is going to pay for that?

Paris - The French government wants to prohibit the destruction of unsold non-food products in the next two to four years. Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, made the announcement in June and also hailed it “a world first”. The measure is the logical continuation of a roadmap established last year; a roadmap for a sustainable economy aiming to...

Business

ThredUp offers to resell Burberry’s unused goods and donate proceeds to charity

Burberry has come under fire after revealing it destroyed over 28. 6 million pounds (37.6 million US dollars) worth of unsold goods in the financial year 2017/2018 -- a desperate measure to avoid markdowns, which would hurt the brand’s image of luxury and exclusivity. The latest criticism has come from ThredUp, one of the world’s largest online...

Business|OPINION Featured

The fashion industry at a dead end: New products worth millions destroyed

Another fashion company that intentionally destroys its goods: Burberry announced in its current annual report that it destroyed finished goods worth 28.6 million pounds (32 million euros) in the financial year 2017/18. Destroying one's own products is a desperate step, but above all, it shows in which dead end the fashion industry has meanwhile...