Our thinking

(Im)perfect solution

6 May, 2022

By now we’re all pretty well aware of the issues associated with fast fashion. And we know we should be doing our part to minimise the impacts of our clothing purchases – whether that’s shopping second hand, extending the lifespan of your clothing (such as through this week’s Goods), or borrowing rather than buying. 

Now, thanks to eBay, we have one more option to add to the list: eBay Imperfects.

Launched last month, eBay’s Imperfects partners with major brands to give new life to clothes, shoes and accessories that cannot be sold as new, due either to minor defects or prior use as display items. Rather than letting these items go to waste (and the unfortunate reality is that much unsold merchandise does go to waste), eBay Imperfects clearly documents any defects or imperfections and allows shoppers to make their own minds up about these products. Think of it like supermarkets wonky fruit and veg, but for clothes.

It’s great to see eBay launching new initiatives to drive a more circular and less wasteful economy. But even better is to see brands waking up to the fact that they don’t need to burn billions’ worth of excess stock to protect their brand image. In today’s consumer landscape, nothing could be better for your brand than taking action to reduce your environmental impact.

And when the result is a good deal for both shoppers and the planet, what’s not to love?

By Louise Podmore