Headline:
Rapid Rise of Fast Fashion Giants Temu and Shein Undermines Dutch Second-Hand Clothing Market
Subheading:
The surge of super-fast fashion companies is causing a crisis in the Netherlands’ second-hand clothing industry, leaving mountains of unsold textiles and threatening the sustainability of the sector.
Byline:
By [Your Name], Staff Reporter
Dateline:
Amsterdam, 2 September 2024
Lead:
The proliferation of super-fast fashion brands like Temu and Shein is spelling disaster for the Dutch second-hand clothing market, according to the Association for Textile Recovery (VHT). These companies have flooded countries, particularly in Africa, with new, albeit lower-quality, clothing, rendering the second-hand market obsolete.
Body:
The second-hand clothing industry in the Netherlands has long thrived on the export of discarded garments to countries where such clothing is in high demand. However, the advent of Temu and Shein has altered this dynamic. These companies produce clothing at such low prices that they are outcompeting the second-hand market, leaving collection and sorting companies like Sympany in Assen with a surplus of unsold textiles.
Lennert Vermaat of VHT explained to NOS that the shift is particularly pronounced in African countries, which have traditionally been a significant market for Dutch second-hand clothing. Chinese companies like Shein or Temu have now also gained a foothold in African countries, Vermaat said. Ultrafast fashion companies now produce their clothing so cheaply that people who used to buy second-hand clothing can now buy new clothing more cheaply.
The situation is exacerbated by the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has eliminated these countries as viable markets for second-hand clothing. Charles Graft, director of Sympany, noted that the company has nearly 2 million kilograms of collected clothing and nowhere to send it. This is much more than before, Graft said. Normally we can sell all the collected textiles quickly, but nobody wants it anymore.
Graft also highlighted a decline in the quality of discarded clothing, attributing it to the low-quality products from Temu and Shein. The clothing we receive is increasingly made of very thin fabrics, which are already damaged after wearing them a few times, he said. We can no longer sell them, and recycling them is challenging because the fabrics are of such low quality.
Vermaat warned that the industry is approaching a point where it may have to stop collecting textiles. VHT is calling for political intervention and more regulation on fast fashion to support the sector. Sympany, for its part, has rented extra storage space but faces the prospect of having to burn unsellable textiles if the situation does not improve.
In an effort to raise awareness, Graft invited consumers to visit Sympany’s warehouse to witness the fate of their discarded clothing. The hope is that greater awareness might lead to more mindful consumption and disposal practices.
Conclusion:
The Dutch second-hand clothing market is at a crossroads, with the rise of fast fashion threatening its sustainability. As consumers and policymakers grapple with the implications, the industry looks to the future with uncertainty, hoping for a shift in consumer behavior and regulatory support.
Views: 0