Childrenswear brand PO.P, formally known as Polarn O. Pyret, has rolled out its PO.P Second Hand initiative in two of its UK stores – London White City and Cambridge. Already a hugely successful service on the brand’s website, reselling more than 11,000 units since its launch last year, PO.P is now extending its award-winning service to customers in-store.

By giving more access to its preloved offering, PO.P is furthering its commitment to keeping its high-quality clothing out of landfill for longer. Just like the online system, customers are invited to return any PO.P item to the participating stores – no matter how old it is, how many children have worn it, or where it was bought from. In exchange for returning outgrown items, customers receive PO.P vouchers to redeem against new and second-hand items, either in-store on the day or online.

The in-store approach, which is mirrored from the online model, not only allows each store to function as its own eco-system selling trade-ins from the local customer base, but it is also designed to simplify the process for busy families.

PO.P Second Hand has been hugely successful since its launch in September 2022.

The scheme has garnered interest from UK fashion experts as well as being recognised by Drapers for the ‘Best Circularity Initiative’ of 2023, and the Most Innovative Retailer Award at the UK Tech and Innovation Awards in November 2023.

With new items available daily, PO.P Second Hand is a unique place to shop. It not only offers customers the opportunity to do something good for the planet, but also to purchase one-off PO.P garments that have already been on an adventure and are ready for the next. Many items resold have been PO.P vintage, with the oldest item resold being 16 years old.

Now in-store and online, PO.P Second Hand is picking up momentum. Ten per cent of sales units in February of this year were from second hand and 40% of second-hand customers are first-time buyers. This highlights the option of PO.P Second Hand is opening the brand up to new customers, as demand for sustainable kidswear continues to grow.

Speaking about PO.P Second Hand becoming available in-store is Johan Munck, CEO at PO.P.

“The positive reception to our in-store second-hand initiative has exceeded our expectations. Launched nearly four years ago in the Nordics, our goal was to expand this to all markets and channels as soon as possible, since we knew that we’re appreciated for our quality and therefore high demand for our second-hand childrenswear. Now it’s implemented across all our own markets and last year nearly doubled in volumes and sold 94,000 pieces. Our PO.P Second Hand sales now stand for about 5% of our physical store sales.

“The textile industry’s impact on the environment is significant, and we want to change this by creating durable clothing intended for use by multiple children – we explain this in our mission statement, that each garment should be used by at least three children. Second-hand sales are a key component of our circular strategy, aiming to go from the current 5% to a 30% revenue share from this channel in the long term. While we anticipate a gradual reduction in first-hand garment production, our brand’s global influence remains modest. Our focus is on providing clothing that not only has a lower environmental footprint, but also meets our standards for style, comfort and weather protection.”

For further information on PO.P, please click here.