John Lewis launches pre-loved childrenswear at its flagship

John Lewis has been in a roll when it comes to introducing sustainable fashion initiatives. From introducing rental schemes to offering a pre-loved designer curation on its website, it’s now bringing preloved childrenswear into the mix.

Now, the retailer is partnering once again with thelittleloop, a British-based platform for pre-loved and rented children’s clothing, to launch a twelve-month concession at its Oxford Street flagship.

The space, which will offer second-hand clothing for babies and children between 0-6 years of age, can be located on the fourth floor of the John Lewis flagship.

This follows a rise in demand for pre-loved clothing. According to a report by GlobalData, second-hand clothing sales are on track to make up 10% of the global fashion market next year.

Danielle Gagola, Innovation Lead at John Lewis, said: "Bringing resale options like thelittleloop into shops is a great way to encourage more of our customers to purchase in a more sustainable and affordable way.

"Children grow out of clothes so quickly, that often they can be left in the back of wardrobes. With thelittleloop we’re encouraging customers to purchase second hand clothing and they can also pick up a bag to trade in their outgrown clothing in return for store credit too. We’re hoping customers will support this and drive change in the way they shop."

The pre-loved offering will include dresses, jumpers, jackets and t-shirts from prices starting as little as £5. Each garment will be categorised into Brand New, Excellent, Very Good and Good and pricing will be determined based on the item’s condition and approximate retail price. On average, customers will save 60% of the cost of buying new.

Charlotte Morley, Founder of thelittleloop, added: "This is an amazing opportunity to bring thelittleloop to the high street through one of Britain's best-loved brands.

"Over 84% of parents are now using online apps to shop secondhand for their children's clothing but not everyone finds it easy or trusts the quality of clothes sent in the post. So we're delighted to be able to bring it to life and help even more people to experience the joy of preloved."

This follows several sustainable initiatives that John Lewis has recently introduced. Last week, for example, the retailer launched its first pre-loved range of designer handbags online with brands including Chanel, Celine, Christian Dior, Gucci, Saint Laurent and Loewe.