In 2020, only 4% of textile waste totalling 137,000 tonnes generated was recycled. The unwillingness of Singaporeans to shop pre-loved clothing in Singapore could be due to quality concerns and poor shopping experiences.
How can we encourage more customers to shop pre-loved apparel?
ECOLO aims to redefine the shopping experience by creating a pre-loved apparel platform that seeks to bridge the gap between consumers and businesses.
Through their mobile-first approach which increases customer-brand touchpoints, influencer marketing and apparel brand curation, they hope to change the mindset of Singaporeans on purchasing pre-loved apparel.
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Condition, Quality, Value
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
2nd hand clothes, Vintage, Classic
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Suitability in Size not photo, Clothes might have hidden issues e.g holes, Problematic as cannot be refunded.
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Condition of the clothing, price, accessibility (meet up location when buying from carousell)
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Vintage, Sustainable, Thrifting
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Expensive in physical pre-loved clothes shops, hassle to buy when buying from carousell, instagram shops.
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
cheap, quality, clean
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
not fashionable, small, spacehogging
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
not clean, unsure of size
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Price, look, reusability
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Old, used, unwanted
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Too many to look through, overwhelming, uncared for.
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Condition, Price, Usability
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Vintage, Thrift, Reuse
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Initial condition may seem fine, but one round through the washer/dryer, the clothing may shrink, expand or start to break.
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Condition of article, cost, convenience of transaction
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Green, cheaper, old
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Verifying condition of article before confirmation of purchase
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
truthfulness of seller,accurate condition description, showing the real pics instead of catalogue
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
poor condition, dirty
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
picture not being accurate to product
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Quality , Price and Nice
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Cheap, Sale, Used
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Might be outdated style .
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Price quality convenience
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Cool old rare
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Hard to find proper pieces, need to find tailor after
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Hygiene, stain free , looks new and good
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Scary, unique and reminder
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
It’s mainly the hygiene part. It’s kinda hard for me to convince my self that it’s of utmost quality.
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Cleanliness, quality, design
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Old, sub-par, ugly
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
When purchasing from Carousell, there is no opportunity to try the clothes first
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
clean, value-for-money, doesn\'t appear to be \"old\" or \"overused\"
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
thrift, fashion, Macklemore (I\'m gonna pop some tags, only got $20 in my pockettt)
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Not sure where to buy
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
The size, the condition, the price
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Worn out, loose, out of fashion
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Poor condition
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Still usable (no visible damage). Cheap. Trendy.
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Vintage. Cheap. Used.
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Damaged, not as described. Not as cheap as I thought.
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
I personally don’t buy pre-loved clothes… But if I ever do, I think I would look at its condition, price and size.
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Worn out, cheap (in a good way) and hidden gems (when you find rare/vintage clothing)
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
NIL
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
cost, look, fit
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
comfortable, out of shape, worn out
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
lack of places to go to, lack of sizes
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Condition, price, sizing
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Environment- friendly, cost-efficient, sustainable
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
The items may not be photographed well enough or not detailed well so I will be on the fence if that is what I want.
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
price, quality, design
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
affordable, sustainable, eco-friendly
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Sometimes the photos and descriptions are unclear
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Condition of clothes, price, options available.
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Consumerism, sustainability, thrift
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Lack of readily available options. Also when purchasing online, there needs to be reliable quality checks to ensure the clothes are not in disrepair.
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Quality, comfort and color combination
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Comfort, style and trendy
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Sometimes we may not get the right one.
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Condition, price, design
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Impulse buys, unworn, outdated
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Not aware of any organised platform for men
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Quality, condition, price
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Treasure-hunting, vintage, unique
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Finding the correct size
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
price, quality and style
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
thrifty, reusable, saving
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
it was once used
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
price, design, quality
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
affordable, sustainable, economic
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
If I am buying preloved clothes online, I sometimes cannot determine whether the seller is reliable or not, or whether the product’s condition is really as stated
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
wear and tear, fit, authenticity
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
reuse, cheaper, thrift
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
cannot try on the size, cannot feel the material
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Quality, price, convenience.
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Filthy, old, cheap.
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
The condition of the clothes.
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Good condition, cheap, easy to access
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Cheap, recycle, old
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
Poor condition, shipping issues
In response to "What are your top 3 criteria when it comes to buying pre-loved clothes?"
Hygiene , quality , design
In response to "What are 3 words you associate with pre-loved clothes?"
Prone to wear-and-tear
In response to "What problems do you face when buying pre-loved clothes?"
It is Often costly for an already used piece of clothe.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Can have a clothes exchange system. Pre-loved clothes can be traded instead of sold also online. Can have a measuring system- Clothes can be measured and measurements shown online on the clothes in photos of the size. Any defects can be stated in photos. Quality of materials can be stated. Can earn points to buy clothes. Have a review system on the sellers and buyers.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Good idea, not sure if there are existing competition. Also, is it a peer to peer platform, or would you all be handling the transactions and quality control. Logistics would be a huge headache as well, as you would need quite a huge team and quite some expenses. Customer service as well.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
what\'s the difference between this and carousell? is it monetisable at the end?
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Ensure that preloved items on your page will be screened through, washed/etc? Thanks! :)
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
How can your platform compete with current second-hand resell platforms (like Carousell)? Aim to compete with current markets and create a niche market for yourselves. Does it have to be online? Why not create some event or bazaars where people can sell, buy or even trade their used clothing? Great idea and props to trying to help the environment as well as tackling consumerism.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
What value does your platform have compared to existing reselling platforms (Carousell, etc)? Is there a push for users to switch to your platform to resell/purchase pre-loved clothings as compared to using existing platforms?
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
show real pics instead of catalogue pics. this can be a condition that you set. because this makes it very easy to buy what we see, something that can never be guaranteed in online shopping these days
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
I guess recently I saw an article on upcycling pre-loved clothes I think is a very good initiative. As some pre-loved clothes maybe just part of it is not as ideal but may be it can become another piece of outfit with other pre-loved clothes. Your team\'s idea is great maybe can also include an upcycling programme of pre-loved clothes?
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Partner with exisiting platforms . Tap on exisiting businesses and improve their processes. What you need is supply chain
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
You guys can consider spreading strong awareness through both online and offline platforms coz that is the main focus of this project. Also do think about how you guys are going to differentiate yourself from existing organisations such as swapholic! Your selling point is definitely very impt. All the best !
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Good initiative! Would it be useful to influence perceptions by (1) partner with influencers to promote these pre-loved apparels to show that these are in great quality; (2) organise a warehouse for try-on hauls to target younger generation (e.g. similar to bridal studio located in industrial area); (3) glamourise the shopping experience with neon lights and pastel bouquets? In terms of products, perhaps can also consider products that did not pass quality assurance checks from big retailers (e.g. discounted items typically sold in outlets)
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Great deck Ecolo! Would love to see your efforts in e-commerce space All the best for open mic! Love, Team Lagom
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
I thought this is a good platform. I believe you would have a tailor to help do minor repair to the clothes so that you can resell the pre-loved clothes. Start selling clothes that people need; for example at graduation, people need certain formal wear but don\'t want to spend so much. So, start from one category, monitor your market and branch out to others. Jiayou guys!
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
But with the increasing popularity of shops like Shein that produce trendy, cheap and brand new items. Consumers are more likely to buy from them instead of shops like this. I think there should be a education part where consumers are taught on how damaging fashion waste is to our environment and maybe we should be more responsible by buying preloved clothing instead of brand new items even though they cost the same at a cheap price.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
At first glance, the website seems easy to navigate and read! However, I think you could try changing your font as it looks rather plain now. Also, you could increase the font size for headings/emphasise areas you wish to highlight to visitors!
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
I think your project idea is really attractive as someone who does like to purchase pre-loved clothing. I would suggest that maybe once in a while you can hold physical sales as it is a completely different experience you would be providing your consumers since they are able to see your items properly. You could partner with amazing organisations like New2U which supports a womens\' charity as well, or even small businesses. To encourage people to come down for these sales you could publicise on social media platforms and your pre-existing website so that they will be aware of the event. :) - Singi Das, singi.das.7@gmail.com
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Collaboration with youth organizations for more exposure
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
A consideration would be the manpower cost to sieve through the incoming clothes to ensure they are of a certain condition. This may be quite tedious and manual, and would erode part of the profit.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
How is this different from an ecommerce site or online shopping site? I cannot understand the significance of having a pre loved apparel platform.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Team can consider rethinking the value proposition as there are other such platforms for clothes swap or preloved clothes, and how the team can attract more users.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
I really enjoy thrifing at places like The Fashion Pulpit that allows customers to try on their clothes in a comfortable environment. For pre-loved clothes, because finding the right fit/cut is so difficult, I find that it\'s very important to be able to try on the clothes before purchase.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Try to make your platform stand out more compared to other platforms (e.g. why should I use your website rather than more established ones like Refash?)
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
the clothes go through a quality centre before shipping to customers
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
What makes you different from marketplace like carousell or even thrift store around in singapore that uses point system?
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Work with businesses like Refash? A joint effort could prove efficient!
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
There are already shops like swapaholic seeking and promoting pre-loved apparels. What factor makes you different from them?
