Fashion Giants' Hunger to Slice the Resale Pie

After realizing they allowed eBay, Depop, and The RealReal to control a massive revenue stream for years, the giants of the fashion industry are now intent on taking their slice of the pie. Brands like Zara, H&M, Lululemon, and Levi’s are shifting strategies beyond merely selling new products, launching their own resale platforms to control the customer lifecycle from start to finish.

The Intersection of Profit and Sustainability

This move by brands is characterized not just by environmental concerns but as a battle to reclaim billions of dollars in missed opportunities. Companies aiming to bring sales revenue captured by third-party platforms in-house seek to create both increased loyalty and a new revenue channel.

■According to ThredUp’s 2026 Resale Report, the global secondhand apparel market is projected to reach $393 billion by 2030.

■The market is estimated to be growing twice as fast as the broader apparel sector.

■In the U.S., resale sales are projected to hit $78.8 billion by the end of the decade.

Operational Control and Logistics Revolution

This transformation in the sector is gaining momentum with the support of technology and logistics providers like Trove and Reflaunt. By managing the post-direct-sale phase, brands aim to maintain product presentation and customer experience according to their own standards.

■H&M, with its "Pre-Loved" initiative launched in 2021, generated revenue of SEK 1,844 million ($194.4 million USD) from resale sales earlier this year.

■The company stated that resale accounted for 0.8% of its total turnover, marking a 31% increase from the previous year.

■Pacsun and Urban Outfitters have successfully increased sales volume by integrating recycling and resale units into their physical stores.

The concepts of "modular recycling" and "sustainable lifecycle" we see in the tech supply chain are now embedding themselves into the heart of the retail sector. This move is not merely an additional revenue stream but an operational revolution redefining logistics and inventory management. Just as reclaimed silicon is critical in the semiconductor industry, fashion brands aim to optimize supply chain costs by controlling the data flow of "consumed" products.