Recommerce in Australia: where are we right now?

In 2019, only 1 in 4 young people considered the environmental impact of their consumer purchases. Fast forward five years later: we’ve seen a global pandemic, a cost of living crisis, ongoing political trauma, interest rise frenzy and a dramatic rise in AI technologies. Amongst that sea of chaos, thankfully the the culture has also shifted for good, with 3 out of 4 Australians now regularly purchasing secondhand. At Green Collect, we have been advocating for sustainability for over twenty years so it’s encouraging that Australians are finally catching up with us.

We are proud to revolutionise all aspects of the recommerce market, prioritising reuse before other “waste” management options. Every item that comes into our warehouse receives an assessment of potential. Can we make something new out of something old? Can we repair or refurbish items for a successful second chance? Can we be innovators in this space and enable a circular economy in our community?

It is affirming to see Australians choose secondhand, but we are at a stalemate for parliamentary regulation. Earlier this year, we witnessed from afar as France’s lower House of Parliament announced a bill to tax individual clothing items and ban big-budget e-commerce retailers from advertising. This “kill bill”, would also mandate retailers to introduce transparent environmental reports on their products, calling to attention the Co2 emissions used for the production of each item. For Australia to action similar standards, it would require a shakeup of our current system. Dean/Professor Alice Payne from RMIT notes that for Australia to make a significant impact by 2030, “the ways we design, produce, use, and dispose of all products and materials must be upended.”

Fortunately, we are seeing a rise in independent campaigns and companies like ours finding innovative solutions for reuse recovery. Created by the Australian Fashion Council, Seamless is a national clothing and production stewardship campaign calling for “waste-free” design principles, circularity across businesses and exploring different “closing the loop” processes. The launch of Seamless on July 1st 2024 is a progressive step forward and brings the circular economy into everyday conversation.

Recommerce in Australia: where can we go from here?

While changing clothing purchase behaviour is often first on the list, there are plenty of other opportunities for Australians to shop pre-owned. Our Braybrook circular superstore is home to a goldmine of secondhand and ethical goods from clothing to furniture to even the smallest stationery items we have salvaged from landfills. We relish in the potential of all kinds of pre-loved stuff and want to make secondhand shopping affordable and accessible.

A cornerstone of our enterprise is our office clean-out and furniture collection services. This service empowers our clients with a sustainable solution to a complex problem and allows us to resell the furniture and office goods we’ve recovered. We are proud to provide our community with cost-effective and sustainable access to the biggest brands in furniture like Dowel Jones, Schiavello and Herman Miller. Our furniture is available to purchase online, and with our flexible delivery options across Metro Melbourne, it is now even easier to be part of the circular movement.

One of the most meaningful juxtapositions between Green Collect and big-production retailers is our ability to create community. As a work-integrated social enterprise, we build job opportunities for people, often with prior obstacles to employment. We are fostering a sense of belonging in the growing “green” economy and championing the next generation of circular economy advocates with training and development programs.

As more conversations occur in the circular economy landscape, we will continue leading the pack and being curious about how we can make a difference to the people and planet. Our solutions today are adaptable and will grow as the sector and industry increase in recognition. We are excited to see what comes next and support more and more Australians on their secondhand purchasing journey.

How Green Collect is revolutionising recommerce.