Making second-hand sexy

Can apps like Depop and By Rotation, which are giving new life to old clothes, help reduce the fashion industry's enormous environmental footprint?

Justin Rowlatt heads to the London offices of both these online platforms. Depop's Justine Porterie explains how their clothing resale app helped Gen Z take back control of their wardrobes and fall in love with second-hand clothes. Meanwhile Eshita Kabra-Davies, founder of By Rotation, retells how she came up with the concept of a high fashion rental app after seeing all the discarded garments piling up in her hometown in Rajasthan.

These apps have grown enormously during the last two years of lockdowns, attracting millions of users, particularly teenagers. But Sarah Kent, editor at the Business of Fashion website, questions whether they can really make a dent in the sheer volume of clothes produced and disposed of every year.

Producer: Laurence Knight

(Picture: Someone photographing a sweater for sale online; Credit: Getty Images)