Secondhand is increasingly the first choice for consumers: the market for used clothing is growing rapidly and offers potential not only for more sustainable consumption. The recommerce trend also offers new revenues for retailers. We show examples and reveal how re-use models can be implemented in the sense of the circular economy.
"About 50 percent of all clothing produced is not worn," says Friederike von Wedel-Parlow, director of the Beneficial Design Institute and an expert on sustainable fashion. The reason: We hoard too much fast and now ultra-fast fashion, which after a short time of wear just sits in the closet - or quickly ends up in the rubbish. At the same time, production and consumption are steadily increasing, according to a study by Greenpeace: Around 70 million tons of clothing are produced each year. Fashion is one of the most damaging industries for the environment. A rethink is therefore needed if we are to meet the Paris climate targets.
The most sustainable product is the one you already have. Only stupid if it no longer fits, likes or is no longer needed. Secondhand can be a solution here. In any case, it is a step away from overproduction and a throwaway society toward saving CO₂ and more environmentally friendly consumption. This is increasingly being done via second-hand platforms that set themselves apart from conventional display services by focusing on fashion, for example with an additional quality check.
Even if at first glance the question arises whether secondhand does not cannibalize the core business, major retailers have long recognized the added value of reselling used goods. "At Bergzeit, we try to work as sustainably as possible and save CO₂. However, we have found that as a retailer we can only influence a certain proportion of the emissions. Around 90 percent is generated during product manufacture and only ten percent by us," says Martin Stolzenberger, Managing Director of Bergzeit, explaining the retailer's considerations. The aim is therefore to produce less overall and to do our part as a retailer.
That's why Bergzeit's Re-Use platform was created about a year ago as an online point of contact for the resale of secondhand goods. And the stationary giant Globetrotter also offers used goods for resale.
Recommerce specialist reverse.supply, with which brands such as Armedangels, Hessnatur and Ortovox also cooperate, is also on board. The reason for this is the complexity: trading in used goods requires special processes for product control and quality assurance. The Berlin start-up reverse.supply offers an integrated online store system with trade-in solutions for precisely this purpose and takes care of the processing in parallel - all from a single source.
While many consumers would like to buy more consciously, not all of them can afford new, sustainable products. This is where used clothing comes into play, which is also trendy, especially among younger generations. The rule is: the younger, the more affinity for secondhand. This also means that the target groups of secondhand and new goods differ. Especially in older buyer groups with less purchasing power, there is still a lot of potential for secondhand goods if the bias can be reduced.
According to the Bergzeit Re-Use survey, second-hand purchases are primarily driven by price. In second place, sustainability is named as a motive. In addition, the motivation to purchase a unique item plays a role, as does the desire to get hold of originals or products that are no longer available. Buyers and sellers of used clothing are not necessarily the same target group. Nevertheless, both are important so that products get back into circulation and no longer just lie in the closet.
In order to reduce fears about buying used clothing, the process must be simple. This includes
"At the same time, we want to bring secondhand out of the flea market corner by paying attention to presentation," says Stolzenberger.
All products are prepared after a check and professionally photographed, and when selling via the platform, one receives an additional quality rating from experts. If a product doesn't fit, it can be returned free of charge. In general, however, the proportion of returns from the second-hand store is lower than in the core business, at an average of 35 percent, according to Bergzeit.
The key to making secondhand work online is not only interested buyers, but also enough merchandise - ideally in different sizes and matching the season. That's not so easy, because in the classic secondhand business, it's more likely to be individual items. Bergzeit's Re-Use Shop has around 6,000 registered second-hand items, and 2,000 have already been sold. Popular brands like Patagonia or Arc'teryx do particularly well. Overall, timeless styles work, for example jackets in black, but also hiking boots and children's items. Likewise, hype products and models that are no longer available in regular stores usually quickly find interested buyers.
In addition to used items from end customers, Bergzeit also takes returned goods into the store that can no longer be sold regularly. The retailer also runs a few pilot projects with brand partners to sell their B-goods, for example from the climbing brand Chillaz. However, the majority of the goods in the re-use store (65 percent) actually come from end consumers.
Compared to Bergzeit's regular store with 40,000 listed items, there is of course still potential for expansion. But not all products are suitable for resale, even if the Re-Use Shop has 169 different product categories: "Safety equipment such as helmets or climbing ropes, for example, are not suitable because of the safety aspect," explains Stolzenberger. "But even with more complex products, such as tents, it's much more complex and we first have to see if it can be set up profitably."
Clothing is easier to inspect and handle. And therefore also better for sales, according to Stolzenberger: "The more processes are stored in between, the more expensive it becomes. At the same time, buyers want an attractive price and sellers also want something to take away. If we can't get that right, the model doesn't work." So the more handling and processes, the harder it becomes to generate enough revenue for retailers and partners. Outdoor products, which tend to be high-priced and have some value stability, lend themselves particularly well to second-hand, with enough margin for both platform and retailer.
In addition to the pilot projects with Bergzeit's partners, other brands are also jumping on the re-use bandwagon themselves. In addition to the sustainable fashion brand Armedangels, Ortovox is another example. At the Bavarian mountain sports brand, returns are checked and refurbished in the company's own workshop and then resold at attractive prices via the Ortovox Second Life Shop.
Outdoor with high-priced products therefore offers an exciting field in terms of secondhand. Brand awareness and enthusiasm play just as much a role here as the value of the products. In addition, it is an absolute growth market: "Secondhand is growing 21 times faster than traditional retail," says Max Grosse Lutermann, co-founder of reverse-supply.
So secondhand not only pays off in terms of the major future themes of the outdoor industry, sustainability and circular economy, but also offers opportunities for revenue and image enhancement. But the trade with second-hand goods is just at the beginning of professionalization. There is still a lot of room for development in the direction of a broader assortment and optimization of processes.
Traffic jams instead of snow. Queues on Mount Everest. Gigantism at events. Is the old formula of sport "higher, faster, further" still appropriate in the face of the climate crisis? Why we should rethink the fundamental importance of sport in our society. And how the idea of degrowth can help us do so.
Empty gas cylinders pile up between boulders, colourful scraps of torn tents flutter through the freezing air: Welcome to the natural paradise of the Himalayas! In 2023, tourism on Mount Everest will break records. Never before have more people wanted to climb. At high season, the base camp at 5,300 meters looks like a bustling small town of colourful tents, only without rubbish collection. The pictures of the queue at the highest peak on earth went around the world - and are just as normal today on Everest as they are in the Alps. There, trendy sports like trail running, cannoning, downhill racing or night biking satisfy the Sensation Seeker.
With the help of innovative technical equipment, even inexperienced outdoor fans can now conquer the most remote forests, highest peaks and deepest mountain valleys. Meanwhile, summer toboggan runs, climbing gardens, paragliding, zip lining and the like are experiencing a veritable expansion boom. And every year new adventure sports, new thrills are added. But in view of the climate crisis, the pursuit of extremes seems anything but contemporary. The adrenaline rush comes at the expense of the forest's natural inhabitants. But recreational and casual athletes also leave their mark. Even hiking as a "gentle nature sport" causes ecological damage when caravans of people are on the road, rubbish is left behind in nature and athletes arrive by car.
Whether to international championships and Bundesliga matches or to skiing vacations - the biggest item in the carbon footprint is travel. "In terms of resource consumption and environmental pollution, fan mobility (at 60 to 70 %) is the biggest factor," reports Prof. Torsten Weber, expert in sustainability management, in an Interview with Sky Sport. In the Bavarian Alps, it is the explosion of car-driving day tourists that is causing problems for the region. But demand is being further boosted by the development of new areas, by new infrastructures and by the expansion of parking capacities. This is biting the cat in the tail. And the question arises whether the profit- and result-oriented sports industry and sustainability are at all compatible.
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Since (top) sport has become global, it is one of the most competitive and fastest accelerating subsystems of our economy. The increased interest in sporting mega-events such as the Olympic Games and World and European Championships has a significant impact on the environment: travel, transport of goods and consumption are concentrated in a very short space of time and overload the local ecosystems of the venues. Sport is a fertile field for making profit. At the same time, it relies on ever more resources, massive infrastructure, giga-merchandising and mass tourism. The best example is the Olympic Games.
Like no other event, they stand for top sporting performances, great records, even greater emotions. But the motto "higher, faster, further" applies just as much to sports venue construction, fan mobility, costs and emissions. In recent decades, the size and complexity of the Olympics have increased dramatically: The price of hosting rose to 156% of the original estimated budget. A scientific analysis of the Olympic Games between 1992 and 2020 unfortunately also shows: over the course of three decades, the trend in sustainability is clearly downward. The last place was taken by the Winter Games in Sotchi in 2014, and the last place for the Summer Games was Rio de Janeiro in 2016, not least because of the lack of social sustainability. Decision-makers are now faced with the question of what the future of the event might look like.
In view of current trends, it seems reasonable to assume that sport can only be made more sustainable by "healthy shrinking" - in the spirit of the degrowth idea. This describes the idea of a sustainable decline in growth: the reduction of material consumption and production, towards the stabilization of a healthy social throughput. Giorgos Kallis, ecological economist, research professor and one of the main representatives of the Degrowth movement, describes degrowth as a positive cultural and political shift, with the aspiration to "build a society that lives better with less." He says it's about changing institutions that make gross domestic product alone the goal of our society - including in our minds. A change that, at the same time, would result in gains in environmental sustainability, social justice and well-being. Moreover, Kallis emphasizes that "great social change doesn't happen by appealing to those in power, but through bottom-up movements" that challenge established patterns of thought. But what does degrowth mean for our recreational sports or sports mega-events?
Ecological economist and host of the podcast Economics for Rebels Dr. Alexandra Köves and Attila Szathmári, a business administration doctoral student and commentator for Eurosport, have extended the idea of degrowth to the world of sports: In their research paper "The vision of sustainable sport in a backcasting research." (Economy & Society, 2021), they elaborated approaches to what sustainable sport might look like for a group of stakeholders in the sport economy.
Three examples that pay attention to both environmental and social sustainability:
Smart tech & blockchain, the upstream and downstream supply chain alliance for outdoor
What all approaches have in common: To become ecologically as well as socially sustainable, the way we organize, practice or consume sports must change. The German Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of the Environment have also taken up this cause: In collaboration with the German Olympic Sports Confederation, the German Sport University Cologne and the Öko-Institut, the project "Towards sustainable (large-scale) sports events in Germany" was launched. The aim is to develop concrete standards and recommendations for sustainable and value-based sporting events. The aim is to provide associations and organizers of both large and small sporting events with a clear basis for action.
Stefan Wagner, Chairman Sports For Future, explains in an Interview with Sky Sport.: "I believe that the economic future viability of sport depends on the extent to which it addresses sustainability issues and, in particular, ecological issues." The fact that sustainability is already part of the licensing criteria in the Basketball Bundesliga, the DFL and the DEL is exemplary, he said. In addition, sports have an easy time creating reach. It emotionalizes and connects people. For example, through "High Impact Athletes" top athletes who have put sustainability on their agenda and serve as multipliers. That's why Wagner praises multiple Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel, saying he's a good example of the dichotomy in which sports find themselves: "He expresses himself very clearly in a sport that, on the surface, naturally doesn't stand for sustainability at first. And in doing so, he makes himself vulnerable." Nevertheless, he said, he's getting involved and showing "that we shouldn't be so afraid of criticism, but should deal with the situation openly."
And what can recreational athletes do to counteract excessive resource consumption in sports? Like Sebastian Vettel, you can certainly turn your back on sports that obviously produce high emissions - like motor sports. But golfing and skiing also put a strain on the environment: on the one hand by clearing the land, and on the other by watering the green areas or making artificial snow on the slopes. One solution would be to switch to sports activities with a comparatively low impact. However, many industries have long since recognized the signs of the times and are striving to make their offers as nature-friendly as possible, e.g. through "soft tourism" or "ecotourism".
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More environmentally conscious golfing is possible on natural golf courses. Sustainable ski resorts do without artificially groomed slopes and use regenerative energies. Hiking enthusiasts and mountain bikers can use existing trail and hiking path networks instead of always opening up new paths. In order to counteract the expansion boom for adventure-hungry Alpine tourists, the BUND Naturschutz (BN), for example, has extensive proposals for the preservation of the sensitive mountain landscape. Those who switch to small, regional areas away from the peak season, travel by public transport and replace short trips with longer stays in sustainable accommodations can do their part.
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For a long time now, experts have been recommending that mega-events like the Olympic Games be drastically scaled down and become more flexible. Above all, it is important to counteract gigantism, to avoid "white elephants". Instead, sporting events should be adapted to the region and to existing infrastructures - not the other way around. But also in private, each of us can practice and consume sports in a more sustainable and thoughtful way. Because in order to bring about (social) change and loosen entrenched structures, powerful movements from below are also needed. This is where the potential of each individual unfolds, regardless of whether we are looking for an adrenaline kick in our local forest or in the Himalayas. And perhaps it is time to modify the old formula "higher, faster, further" - into: smaller, more regional, more flexible.
From Olympics to Eco-Olympics? Sustainable sporting events - this is how it works
The LGBTQ+ movement has increasingly come to the attention of companies lately, with many jumping on the #pridemonth. But should competitions be venues for the fight for equality in addition to the physical showdown? While many sports fans support the commitment of athletes and companies to diversity and inclusion, there are also some critical voices.
All insights at a glance:
June is celebrated as Pride Month for the LGBTQ+ community. During this time, many demos and actions against discrimination take place around the world. Many companies then incorporate the rainbow flag into their marketing and logos as a symbol of the movement. Sports also use the action for promotional purposes. But again and again the discussion arises whether this benefits inclusion. Do colorful flags really make sports more unprejudiced and safer for people of all sexualities? Or does the short-term celebration of the queer scene do more harm to the movement?
Sport has a long tradition as a platform for political messages. Even in ancient times, sports competitions were used to demonstrate power and national identity. Today, the sports industry continues to be a popular arena that players use for goals beyond sports. Take former NFL player Colin Kaeperinick, who knelt during the traditional playing of the national anthem to protest racism and police violence in the United States. His protest sparked a nationwide debate and found imitators in solidarity in many places.
Increasingly, entire teams are also positioning themselves against discrimination and misanthropy in sports. Some soccer clubs, for example, regularly take part in social campaigns or wear captain's armbands in rainbow colors - and not only during #pridemonth. For the World Cup in Qatar, there was worldwide debate about whether a tournament of this magnitude should be held in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality.
In such debates, the question often arises as to whether political positioning in sport is appropriate or whether clubs, athletes and sponsors would be better off remaining politically neutral. Critical voices note that sport is the "most beautiful pastime in the world" and that political or social grievances should be dealt with elsewhere.
In contrast, however, many athletes experience discrimination on the basis of their ethnicity or sexuality. They want to use their reach and their role model function to highlight problems and to break down prejudices and discriminatory structures among fans through their personal stories. In addition, many athletes emphasize that human rights are not a political position, so standing up for them is always and everywhere justified.
More and more athletes see it that way and stand up for LGBTQ+ rights in public - be it as part of the community or as allies. Athletes are increasingly coming out publicly, although this often only happens after the end of their professional career. Nevertheless, such actions contribute significantly to the visibility of a disadvantaged group of people. They expose discriminatory structures and thus help to break stereotypical ideas and promote inclusion and diversity.
The more visible the LGBTQ+ community is in everyday sports, the more positive the effect on civil society discussions and the positioning of sponsors and clubs. For example, U.S. soccer player Megan Rapinoe repeatedly uses her reach to advocate for equality and against discrimination in sports. She is one of the most well-known queer activists today. Men's soccer, unfortunately, is still much more reticent about this. But the growing visibility of LGBTQ+ athletes is increasingly opening up space for discussions with straight athletes, clubs, and sponsors about how to shape with and against each other in sports. As a result, this debate is spilling over into the rest of civil society, and at the same time is creating momentum for inclusion that goes beyond sports.
Companies like to exploit socially relevant topics for their messages. Greenwashing, sportswashing or pinkwashing are popular means of image polishing. But there are more reasons why sports companies have also increasingly focused on the LGBTQ+ community in recent years: On the one hand, it is attractive as a consumer group they want to attract to their brand. On the other hand, companies want to be attractive to professionals, clients and other target groups. After all, companies that take their commitment to greater diversity and inclusion seriously are more popular.
This is why sponsors sometimes pay millions to sports clubs or events to showcase their brand. They benefit from the positive image of famous athletes, who often also act as advertising figures for a brand. For sports clubs, athletes are both a figurehead and a source of income - a position from which they can also take a stand on civil society issues.
Problems arise when a club or athletes have views that differ from those of the sponsor, for example, when they make anti-queer statements. Sports companies should take responsibility here by distancing themselves from the statements and, if necessary, even terminating advertising contracts. However, the situation also exists the other way around: for example, when athletes or sports clubs are supported by sponsors who come from a country that criminalizes homosexuality or otherwise holds anti-LGBTQ+ positions.
This can pose major problems for athletes*. This is because, depending on the sport, securing the entire training program and equipment may depend on sponsors. Inclusive sports companies can contribute here by increasing market pressure on problematic sponsors.
Another problem is pinkwashing. Here, companies use inclusion or solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community as a bogus marketing tactic. In reality, however, they do not effect significant change. When pinkwashing becomes public, companies reap a lot of criticism. However, many sports fans cannot always distinguish real allyship from superficial advertising campaigns. This makes it all the more important for athletes, companies and civil society authorities to have a decisive discussion about genuine solidarity and to point out positive examples.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not a new invention, but a central component of a desirable corporate philosophy. Behind it is the idea that companies develop concepts that integrate civic concerns such as social issues or sustainability into their business activities - and thus take responsibility for the impact of their actions on society.
CSR has an impact on a company's own appearance and behavior, on corporate structures and advertising measures or sponsorship agreements. And, of course, also on how the company deals with people from the LGBTQ+ community. This includes not only public actions such as showing the rainbow flag, but also the reduction and exclusion of discriminatory processes, for example by avoiding stereotypes or derogatory language in advertising or recruiting.
Likewise, CSR of companies in the sports industry includes using their own influence in an authentic and sustainable way to shape sports. And thus contribute to an inclusive and diverse space where the focus can actually be on the physical competition and not on the sexuality of the participants.
"You have heard of him, you have seen him, and you have read much about him." That's how Bénédicte Herbout and Marie Queneuille launch their pitch on climate change. And it's true: climate change is present; in the news, on social media, in our everyday lives. But do we really have an overview of all its impacts? And our influence on it? The Climate Pitch at OutDoor by ISPO 2023 motivates us to rethink our impact on the climate.
The contents at a glance:
Even though this should be beyond question, especially in the outdoor community, Bénédicte and Marie make it more than clear right from the start what climate change is all about. "What makes you happy?"is the first question with which the two environmental experts catch the audience of the interactive session. The answers from the outdoor-loving listeners come as no surprise: hiking, mountaineering, surfing, cycling.
And then Bénédice and Marie confront their audience with the hard facts:
1,1 %. This is probably the most important figure mentioned in the Climate Pitch. That's the percentage by which global temperatures have risen since 1850. Doesn't sound like much at first, does it? Does 5% sound a bit more daunting? After all, if we continue as we are now, we'll crack this dramatic warming as early as 2100. The fact that the climate is continuing to rise naturally is confirmed by the climate experts. But with a relevant twist: the speed at which this is happening is man-made. After all, 1.1% from 1850 to the present day sounds a lot more dramatic when you know that the global temperature rise between the peak of the last ice age and 1850, a period of almost 20,000 years, was only about 5%. I wonder if industrialization has had a hand in this since then?
But who or what is actually to blame? We, each and every one of us, must attribute 25% of the climate change to ourselves. However, politics, industry and business have the greatest influence on the climate crisis, accounting for an enormous 75%.
The climate crisis does not bode well for our future. Here is a small excerpt from the countless consequences of man-made climate change:
Rising temperatures are also leading to thawing of the permafrost. This not only leads to soil instability or coastal erosion, but also releases large amounts of greenhouse gases, further exacerbating climate change.
"Every action matters, every bit of warning matters, every year matters, every choice matters." Even though it is primarily the policies of the major industrialized nations that can influence the climate crisis, it is up to each one of us: the countdown is on and there is no time to lose. The experts present the most important factors for reducing emissions:
Bénédicte and Marie conclude the pitch with a thought-provoking note: The very things that make us happy don't consume CO₂ and don't harm the climate. At least if we do it right.
And what you can do as a company? Here is a small collection of valuable articles that might interest you on the subject:
The outdoor industry is facing a crucial turning point and climate change is a reminder of urgency: sustainable practices and products must be adopted as soon as possible. We present 5 trends on which a more sustainable future will be built.
The aim is to enable buyers to make a quick and informed purchase decision. The label contains the most important sustainability features of the product. These are divided into different components and presented as concise facts in an easily understandable way. In addition to material details, they provide information about the place and method of production. As consumer demands increase, the "Material Facts Tables" will appear on the product pages of Rab and Lowe Alpine as early as the end of 2023.