As South Africans try to save money and shop more sustainably, Gauteng’s second-hand and circular economy market is thriving.
This has seen people think creatively about the use of goods, from purchasing to selling, repairing, and reusing goods to increase their lifespan.
Second Chance Clothing is a well-established second-hand clothing store with stores in Honeydew, Centurion, and Vanderbijlpark. They sell second-hand clothing bought directly from customers, who are often paid cash for specific items on the spot.
They sell a wide range of clothing items, accessories, and footwear at significantly lower prices. Co‑founder, Second Chance Clothing, Audrey Maidwel said many what sets them apart from other second‑hand clothing businesses is their extensive variety of items at unbeatable prices.
“Our quick and convenient process for purchasing your unwanted clothing, and the fact that our stores are filled with new stock daily. This means there’s always something fresh and exciting to discover every time you visit,” she said.
She further explained that people bring their clothing and accessories directly to them, and they offer instant cash for items they select to resell.
“With new stock arriving daily from the public, we quickly price these items and get them on our rails, ready to find a new home,” she said.
Aune Aunapuu, the founder of Yaga, said this is not a trend but rather a change in consumer behavior in South Africa.
“Young entrepreneurs are taking second-hand fashion as a business, moving from informal weekend sales to curated online stores and dedicated second-hand shops,” she said. “Over the past few years, more than six million pieces of fashion items have found a new life through us, promoting sustainable fashion and creating economic opportunities in second-hand fashion,” she added.
The idea of a circular economy, which encourages people to reuse and mend things to extend the product’s lifespan, is slowly gaining momentum in South Africa. This idea was first introduced by WWF South Africa, which explained that “a circular economy is a system’s approach that is aimed at keeping materials and products in use for as long as possible and not letting them become waste.”
This not only increases the lifespan of the product but also provides an opportunity for businesses to thrive.
While Boombadotmobi is not a fashion resale company, it is a legitimate social company that is applying circular economy principles in a real-world setting. Boombadotmobi was founded by Nondumiso Sibiya and Sbusiso Shongwe and connects people and businesses with waste collectors to help dispose of and recycle their waste in an economic manner.
