Are vintage and second-hand bags more sustainable?

Yes – buying and selling preowned bags will always be more sustainable than buying a new one. There are many reasons why preloved designer handbags are better for the environment.

Less pollution

Recycling and reusing mean fewer polluting resources that would otherwise be needed to produce something new, including materials and transportation emissions.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme , the fashion industry is responsible for the production of up to 10% of the global carbon dioxide outputs and accounts for one-fifth of the 300 million tons of plastic produced globally each year.

Fewer clothes end up in landfill

With ‘fast fashion’ and new collections introduced every few weeks, people are encouraged to continue buying, leaving many items left unused, or worse – the landfill.

Wrap UK has estimated that £30 billion worth of clothes that have never been worn are hanging in wardrobes across the UK while Keep Britain Tidy has said that 10,000 items of clothing are being sent to landfill every five minutes, equivalent to £140 million in value every year.

Pre-loved fashion is stylish

But being sustainable doesn’t mean compromise. Here’s how great circular fashion can look.

An added benefit of buying vintage and preloved designer bags is that there’s less cost to you. You can get great designer handbags at lower prices, especially as top brands like Chanel and Louis Vuitton continue to increase their prices annually– making them unattainable for many.

As leaders in sustainable luxury , we’ve long known that the fashion industry has a sustainability problem, but we remain committed to our aim to change the world, one handbag at a time.

The Handbag Clinic is the only fully circular service where you can buy, sell, restore and authenticate your designer handbags and accessories.

Shop Vintage Designer Bags to add to your closet.