Redress opens a permanent secondhand store in Hong Kong

After ten years of organizing secondhand pop-ups and establishing a permanent headquarters in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, in June of last year, environmental charity Redress has transformed the room into a permanent curated secondhand apparel and accessory store called The Redress Closet in order to continue its goal of eliminating garment waste by offering shoppers the ability to purchase pre-loved clothing and accessories.

The shop’s opening was set for May 14 to 16, and it aimed to fix Hong Kong’s huge textile waste crisis.

The Redress Closet, a sponsor and advocate of SDG 12 – Sustainable Use and Production, provides a wide range of apparel at fair prices, including women’s and men’s garments,  accessories, and bags. Customers can buy a copy of the item, as well as a sustainable fashion guide, by bringing clothes they no longer need to the shop for sorting and redistribution.

Redress founder Christina Dean, said they can’t ignore the fact that what they put in the wardrobe has a significant effect on the environment. Fashion is one of the most polluting sectors on the planet. Their clothes account for 15% of their ecological footprint in Hong Kong. They’ve always invested in fashion’s positive power and want people to love it in a more sustainable manner. One way they help Hong Kongers in making sustainable fashion decisions is by complementing their long-running secondhand charity pop-ups with this permanent shop.”

Celebrity stylist Cheryl Yam provided the individuals with fashion advice and assist shoppers in styling their pre-loved items during the grand opening of the store. Guests were also asked to enter a photo contest by uploading a photo of themselves wearing one of The Redress Closet’s items, with the winner receiving an HKD$500 (approximately US$64) gift card to shop at the store.

Redress now has a Takeback scheme, through which it has collaborated with some of the leading fashion brands, and in which it offers 34 recycled clothes collection points across the region, with the collected garments being sorted and redistributed for use again, benefiting about 20 charitable partners as well as Redress’ own stores.

Nissa Cornish, executive director of Redress, said, this is a pivotal time for Redress. Their Takeback scheme has gathered and redistributed nearly 57 tonnes of discarded clothing in the last three years, directly minimizing waste to landfill. With resale being one of the hottest global trends in fashion sustainability right now, now is the ideal time for more Hong Kongers to adopt the trend and learn how enjoyable, affordable, and sustainable secondhand shopping can be.