Sustainability Report 2017

Second-hand stores Around 5 percent of all garments collected and sorted in Germany are sold in TEXAID’s ReSales stores. With branches in the states of Bavaria, Ber- lin, Hessen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Saxony- Anhalt, and Thuringia, ReSales is Germany’s lea- ding second-hand store chain and offers a variety of everyday outfits, designer wear, vintage fashion and accessories at affordable prices. ReSales stores welcome those in need of inex- pensive everyday clothing as well as customers in search of special vintage clothing to complete their own special style. In addition to its retail stores, TEXAID offers second-hand clothing in va- rious online shops via its affiliate Carou. These shops cater to the specific needs of a diverse ran- ge of customers. They offer everything from exclu- sive designer wear to trendy new labels and vin- tage accessories. More and more consumers are also buying se- cond-hand clothing for ecological reasons. In Switzerland and Germany, ever-changing fashion trends, incorrect fits and light wear and tear are some of the reasons why most garments are dis- carded after reaching only 40 percent of their material life expectancy. Clothes are therefore valuable raw materials that should be re-used to cultivate a sustainable economy. Moreover, because they have been washed so many times, second-hand clothing are essentially free of che- mical residues, which can be harmful to the body. 23